Eyesight is vital to our health, as we make up to 80% of our impressions with our eyes. These impressions can include innocent things like exploring the world around us or picking up on non-verbal cues from others. It can also protect us from dangerous situations.
Many health issues affect our vision, such as eye strain and more. Our daily behaviors can contribute to these conditions. We'll cover some of the most common factors contributing to weakened eyesight, ways to improve it and healthy tips to keep your eyes strong.
Common factors that contribute to weakened eyesight
Here's a glance at which habits can hurt your vision:
Rubbing your eyes too much
Allergies can feather-tickle your eyes. Our natural inclination is to rub them because it gives temporary relief. Rubbing them over time can cause cornea damage. Your cornea is the protective covering over your eye. Once damaged, you could incur keratoconus. It happens when your cornea thins and bulges outward. The new shape changes how your eye processes impressions, distorting and blurring them.
Smoking and drinking alcohol
Smoking affects more than your lungs and heart, it can damage your eyes too. Dr. Michael O. McKinney, a general practice physician, remarks, "Puffing increases the chances of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, as well as damage to the optic nerve." Cataracts are cloudy areas that form in your eyes, creating blurry vision, light sensitivity and difficulty seeing at night.
Meanwhile, alcohol can play tricks with your eyes. When you drink, your vision blurs the more you do so. It can also result in bloodshot eyes. A pattern of heavy drinking can lead to chronic conditions like macular degeneration. It is where you lose vision in the center part of your eyes.
Too much screen time
We're tethered to our digital appendages, with the average screen time being seven hours daily. Devoting this much time means your eyes receive too much exposure to blue light, which emits from our phones, tablets, TVs and computers.
Using old contact lenses
Recycling contact lenses is a bad idea because they contain expired solutions. The expired solution could foster the growth of bacteria, resulting inbacterial keratitis. This bacterial infection affects your cornea and can create redness, blurred vision and a sensitivity to light.
Read more: Best Places to Buy Contact lenses Online
Exposure to UV rays
UV rays might give your skin a bronze appearance, but it doesn't extend the same courtesy to your eyes. UV rays age all eye structures. It can lead to corneal damage, macular degeneration and cataracts. If you're outside for prolonged sun exposure, wearing sunglasses is as imperative as sunscreen.
Health conditions
According to Mayo Clinic, if you have high blood pressure, your eyes are more susceptible to blood vessel damage. Meanwhile, those who've had diabetes for a long time are at risk of diabetic retinopathy, which happens when the blood vessels in your eyes leak into your retina. It can cause permanent damage, leading to blindness if left untreated.
Poor diet
What you eat can also impact your eye health. Diets high in saturated fats foster plaque growth in the blood vessels in your eyes, which can block some or all of your vision. Meanwhile, a diet lacking proper nutrition deprives your body of the vitamins and minerals it needs for healthy development and could lead to blindness in extreme cases.
Using expired makeup
Eye makeup tends to have a shorter shelf life than other makeup. It's why you'll want to pay attention to the expiration date as using expired makeup makes it easier to welcome bacterial growth around your eyes. It makes them more susceptible to infections like pink eye.
3 easy tips to strengthen your eyes
Here are some tips to strengthen your eyesight:
Take breaks from your screens
Try to take breaks every hour if you can. Whether it's standing up to take a walk or doing eye exercises, it gives your eyes a much-needed break from screen time. Also, refrain from using your digital devices 30 minutes before sleep. It allows your brain to become acclimated to the darkness, fostering the production of melatonin for a more restful sleep.
Protect your eyes from UV rays
Exposure to UV rays can damage all eye structures. It could result in corneal damage, cataracts, or macular degeneration. Dr. McKinney recommends, "Avoid harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB radiation."
Choosing the right protective eyewear is a trial and error-process. You'll want to try on several pairs to ensure comfort and that they remain flush with your face. A healthy fit ensures that UV rays or other debris don't enter your eyes.
Read more: How to Protect Your Eyes from the Sun's UV Rays
Practice eye exercises
Dr. McKinney recommends regular eye exercises to improve focus and flexibility. One of the most popular is the 20-20-rule. You'll take a 20-second break from your screen every 20 minutes to focus on an object 20 feet away.
Another way to reduce eye strain is with the figure eight exercise. You sit in a chair and place your feet on the floor flat. Let your eyes focus on a spot 10 feet away from you. If you're unsure of the distance, measure it before starting the exercise. From here, you'll want to draw a figure eight with your eyes around that point. Trace this pattern for 30 seconds, then reverse it for another 30.
Simple lifestyle habits for healthy eyes
There are some healthy habits you can adopt for healthier eyes. These include:
Staying hydrated
Hydration is vital for maintaining moisture balance in your eyes. The U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommend women drink 11.5 cups of water per day while men consume 15.5. When you become dehydrated, your body cannot produce enough tears. Tears wash away debris and other objects that might enter your eye. Drier eyes leave you more susceptible to infections and conditions like dry eyes.
Read more: How to get More Electrolytes to Stay Hydrated
Getting proper rest
When you sleep well, your eyes produce proper moisture. These tears can clean out any debris or allergens that enter your eyes. It also helps to heal your body, including your eyes. When you don't sleep well, your body can't heal itself as it should. This could result in dry, bloodshot or itchy eyes.
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Managing stress
Stress impacts many areas of your health, including your vision. If you have anxiety or stress, it can dry out your eyes, making them more susceptible to infections. If you're struggling to manage stress, reach out to a therapist who can help you discover the root sources and work with you to develop coping exercises for managing stress.
Read more: 7 Tactics to Relieve Stress
Annual eye exams
Dr. McKinney notes, "Routinely examine your eyes because it may help you know whether there are any problems early before they affect your vision. I recommend an eye examination every two years or once a year, depending on whether there are any pre-existing conditions with your eyes."
Eat a balanced diet
"Fish, green leafy vegetables, and carrots are among many other foods that contain vitamins A, C, E and zinc which promote eye health. Eating fish, such as salmon, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is beneficial for keeping the retina healthy," adds McKinney.
Read more: 12 Best Foods for Vision Health