Vision Facts and Myths

vision myths

Vision Facts And Myths

We’ve all heard that sitting too close to the TV screen can damage your eyes, staring at the sun can make you blind, and that eating carrots can enable some form of extraterrestrial night-vision. But how can you tell the difference between fact and fiction? Luckily, we’re here to help and set the record straight once and for all.

“Don’t look at the sun, you’ll go blind!”

Fact: Looking at the sun won’t only cause a painful headache and distort your vision temporarily; it could cause permanent eye damage. Exposure to sunlight has been linked to eye disorders such as Macular Degeneration, Solar Retinitis, and Corneal Dystrophies. The worst UV exposure for the eyes is during a solar eclipse due to invisible rays that can permanently burn your eyes. Sunglasses are the perfect accessory to defend yourself against the sun, and its harmful UV rays.

“Using glasses or contact lenses is bound to weaken my vision.”

False: Your eyes won’t grow weaker as a result of using eyewear and/or contact lenses. Your optician’s prescription may change over time due to aging, but it won’t be because of your choice of eyewear.

“You get your bad eyesight from me!” 

Fact: Unfortunately, it’s true that we inherit bad eyesight from our parents. Many causes of bad vision are genetic; Cataracts, Glaucoma and Strabismus are examples. Discussing your family’s visual history with your optician can help, and attending regular eye tests can prevent any eyesight problems arising.

“Eating carrots will improve your vision, you know?”

Fact: Although carrots aren’t going to transform your eyesight into a night-vision camera, they are full of Vitamin A, essential for good vision. Carrots are great for improving your eyesight, but they aren’t the only item of food containing Vitamin A; milk, cheese, egg yolk, and even liver contain high volumes of Vitamin A too.

“Don’t sit too close to the TV screen, you’ll ruin your eyesight!”

False: Sitting close to the TV screen may give you a bad headache, but it will not damage your vision. That’s not to say that TV’s are completely harmless though; depending on how many hours you are spending watching TV, it can cause near-point stress and can increase the risk of short-sightedness.

“Put the light on whilst reading, you’re going to damage your eyes.”

False: Similarly to sitting too close to the TV screen, reading in dim lighting may produce eyestrain and a headache, but it’s not something that will weaken your eyes. There are worse things that you could do!

So, now you know! The next time you’re watching the TV a little too closely, you don’t need to feel guilty, watch away. Share your most unbelievable eyewear facts with us on Twitter