Five bad habits that can lead to vision loss

You may have heard the old saying, “The eyes are the window to the soul.” Sometimes the eyes are also a window into your overall health, so it is important to take care of them. Ophthalmologists told what habits can harm vision, reports Yahoo.

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Ophthalmologists told you what to do and what not to do if you want to keep your eyes healthy.

Get your eyes checked regularly

“People think that if they don’t have vision problems, they don’t need to see an ophthalmologist regularly, and this is a huge misconception,” says Dr. Christopher Starr, an ophthalmologist at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Even if you have 20 out of 20 vision, it is important to get regular eye exams, especially as you age. An eye examination is not only about the level of vision, but also about diseases.

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“There are many things we can find when examining the eyes. They can be vision-threatening but may not cause any symptoms or affect visual acuity in the early stages,” says Starr. These include glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve and is a common cause of irreversible vision loss.

The eyes can also store important information about overall health.

“Often we find systemic diseases when examining the eyes: hypertension or diabetes … even brain tumors,” Starr explained.

The frequency of eye examinations depends on the age and health of the person. The American Academy of Ophthalmology states that adults aged from 18 to 39 years should be examined by an ophthalmologist at least once every two years, even if they are healthy and have sharp eyesight.

In 40 years You need to undergo a comprehensive eye examination. Its results will determine the frequency of subsequent reviews. Aged from 40 to 64 yearsIf you do not have vision problems, you should continue to have routine eye exams every two years. After 65 years - at least once a year.

Don't rub your eyes

Sometimes there is nothing better than rubbing your eyes well, but this should not become a habit.

“Rubbing the eyes is very, very common, and we often do it without even thinking,” says Dr. Benny Jeng, chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Pennsylvania Medical Center, and warns that constant eye rubbing can lead to permanent damage and increase the risk of bacterial infection. .

According to Jeng, eye rubbing can also lead to keratoconus, a condition where the cornea becomes thin and misshapen. People with this disorder suffer from blurred vision or light sensitivity.

Sunglasses are our everything

People often forget how important it is to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Dr. Rudrani Banik, an ophthalmologist at the New York Ophthalmological and Ear Hospital, emphasizes that in the short term, long-term exposure to ultraviolet light can cause dry, irritated or even sunburned eyes (very painful and leading to temporary loss of vision).

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But this is not the worst. Long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays in the eyes can damage the cornea and lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, vision problems, and cancer of the eyes and eyelids.

When you buy sunglasses, look for a sticker that says "100% UVA and UVB blocking" or "UV 400."

Another dangerous misconception is that sunglasses are not needed on cloudy days, because the UV index can be high even on cloudy days, which means the sun will still harm your eyes.

Do not abuse eye drops

Some popular eye drops advertised for redness may actually make symptoms worse. According to experts, a surprising number of people abuse them.

Vasoconstrictor eye drops (naphazoline and tetrahydrozoline) may temporarily reduce redness or discomfort, but they do not treat the cause. They constrict blood vessels, which quickly reduces redness, but also restricts blood flow to the eye. This can be done in a critical situation (date or other reason when you need to look perfect), but not every day.

Long-term use of vasoconstrictive eye drops can be addictive because the eyes turn red every time the vessels are in a normal state.

If you need to moisturize and soothe your eyes, use artificial tears. If you store them in the refrigerator, the calming effect will be stronger.

If you suffer from chronic redness and irritation of the eyes, see an optometrist to find out the cause. If it is an allergy, for example, it can be treated with eye drops containing antihistamines, which are safe for daily use.

Do not sleep or swim in contact lenses

Remove contact lenses before bed, even if the packaging says you can sleep in them.

“The risk of infection while sleeping in contact lenses increases exponentially, whether they are approved for nighttime wear or not,” says Dr. Jeng. If you sleep in lenses, you can pick up bacteria that will require a corneal transplant to treat.

Sleeping in contact lenses can also lead to corneal ulcers, which can lead to vision loss.

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The same applies to contact lenses and swimming. Whether it's chlorinated pool water or jacuzzi, fresh or salt water, your contact lenses don't belong in the bath.

“Water is usually quite dirty, and the combination of germs in the water and contact lenses can lead to serious infections that can even cause blindness in the worst case,” says Starr.

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