We’ve all fallen for them and, no matter how well-intentioned they are, some eye and vision stories are just wildly off the mark! Let us set the record straight for you with a few of our favorites!
As much as we’d love eye care to be this simple, no matter how many carrots you eat, you won’t end up with owl-eyed night vision! However, it is true that diet is important to good vision. Vitamin A (something carrots are rich in) deficiency may lead to poor vision, but having an excess of the vitamin does not enhance vision further. Sadly, BUSTED!
Eye conditions such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness, or astigmatism change as we (and our eyes!) get older. There are numerous reasons for this, but the principal reason in most cases is genetics. Your eyes will weaken at the same rate whether you wear glasses or lenses or not. So, why do we feel our eyes become dependent on them? Because when you remove them, you really notice the benefits they give! BUSTED!
Although this will certainly make your eyes feel tired or strained (and, for that reason alone, we don’t recommend it!), reading in dim light will not cause permanent damage to your eyes. BUSTED!
Read more: The effect of different lighting on eye health
In the same way reading in dim or poor light can make your eyes feel strained, too much time staring at a computer (or TV!) screen isn’t always a good thing! However, beyond dry eyes and a headache, you’re unlikely to be causing yourself permanent damage. For sure, it will not create near-sightedness, far-sightedness or astigmatism. BUSTED!
Read more: How much screen time is bad for kids?
Sadly, all too often we treat our eyes with the same indifference we do the rest of our bodies! The attitude is – if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it! However, there are many reasons why you should schedule a regular eye test (at least once every two years) as part of your healthcare regime – glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes and hypertension are only some of them! An eye test is far more than a time to judge the strength of your new (indeed first) lenses. It can, in some cases, prove a life saver! Importantly, BUSTED!
Not true. A baby’s eye continues to grow as she grows! In fact, the eyes are around a third of their final size at birth, but they grow faster and at six months are already two-thirds of their adult size! BUSTED!
For most people with occasional or mild dry eye symptoms, it’s enough to occasionally use over-the-counter eyedrops. However, these will never provide a cure for persistent dry eyes, and may end up masking serious underlying problems! If symptoms persist, a visit to your eye care specialist is definitely in order! BUSTED!
Sounds horrific, but fortunately it isn’t true! Rarely they can migrate across the eyeball and get temporarily stuck under the upper eyelid. The solution? Tilt your head back, and move your eyeball in the opposite direction of where you feel the lens. Trust us, it works a treat! Totally, BUSTED!
Hmm. Partially true. Many eye problems are genetic, but as with all genetic problems, inheritance is not guaranteed. And, simply because there’s a higher risk, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer! conditions such as glaucoma are definitely inheritable – so, that reinforces the fact that it’s always a good idea to get a regular eye test! So, partially BUSTED!
Well, this isn’t true at all! Although some conditions may be as a result of genetics, we can all do many things to help protect our eyes and to stave off their inevitable weakening. These include sensible use of sunglasses – with full UV protection, of course! Also, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly will help your eyes too! How? By maintaining lower blood pressure and reducing the possibility of diabetes. What else? Oh. Quit smoking (this also provides other health benefits too)! Healthily, BUSTED!
So, as with all health and medical advice, you can see if always makes sense to have good sense and dig a little deeper to find the truth. And, where your vision is concerned, who else better to turn to than your local MAGRABi boutique?
