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5 everyday actions that might be harming your eyes
It’s important to care for your eyes. Some factors that increase your odds of vision problems – genetics, aging, or pollution – are obviously out of your hands. However, some of your day-to-day activities could also be harming your eyes. The following might not seem like a big deal but over time they can negatively impact your vision. Here are 5 habits you might want to think about changing.
1. Too much screen time
It’s no secret that we spend a lot of time staring at screens – computers, TVs, mobile phones, etc. Time tends to fly by when you’re watching your favourite shows or scrolling through content online. Cutting down on screen time in this digital era is an easy way to protect your eyesight in the long run.
There are days when you don’t have a choice to look at screens for extended periods of time. If you wear glasses, opt for blue-light filtering lenses. They act as a protective barrier between your eyes and the blue light emanating from screens. SeaCoat[GM1] UV and Pure Blue UV from Nikon are excellent examples of this type of lens.
2. Your beauty routine
Never use expired makeup because it can harm your eyes. That’s why it’s important to change your mascara (ideally every 3 to 6 months) as well as your facial products such as eye contour creams. Over time, bacteria can accumulate in your products and end up on your eyes upon application.
Your makeup brushes may also turn into a breeding ground for bacteria. Make sure to regularly clean and disinfect them to prevent this from happening.
Last but not least: always remove your makeup at night. Makeup residue can obstruct your glands and lead to infections.
3. UV rays
Your eyes can be exposed to UV rays on sunny days and cloudy ones. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can cause severe problems such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and retinal lesions. You should protect your eyes with sunglasses when outdoors.
Protective coatings applied to sunglasses will block harmful rays. So go ahead and pick a pair of sunglasses that suits your lifestyle. After all, there are plenty of options to choose from: tinted lenses, polarized lenses, or even light-reactive lenses. All available from Nikon.
As a reminder, don’t leave your sunglasses in the car because the changes in temperature can damage them, reducing their effectiveness.
4. Contact lenses at night
Even if you’re exhausted from a long day or just feeling a bit lazy, don’t forget to remove your contact lenses before you go to bed. Keeping them on overnight is dangerous and can quickly lead to an infection. Wearing contact lenses while sleeping completely cuts off the oxygen supply to your cornea.
If you do forget to remove your lenses one night, check for signs of infection such as red or painful eyes, abnormal discharges, sensitivity to light, burning, itching, or swelling. In case of doubt, consult your eyecare professional.
5. Waiting too long between eye exams
Waiting too long before scheduling your eye exam can lead to unintended consequences. It’s important to consult your eyecare professional regularly – once every two years for most adults. Untreated eye disease can lead to irreversible consequences.
Take care of your eyes and book an appointment online today.