How You May Be Causing Eye Damage Without Knowing It

Habits that most people don’t even think about can cause eye damage that accumulates over time. If any of these five daily practices sound familiar to you, it’s time to take action to correct them and preserve your vision.

5 Ways You May Be Unknowingly Causing Eye Damage

1. Leaving Your Water Bottle Behind

Dehydration adversely affects the water-rich environment in and around your eyes. Most Americans fail to drink enough water during the day and spend their lives chronically dehydrated. Symptoms, including puffy, red or dry eyes, can be resolved by drinking water and other hydrating beverages, such as herbal tea, throughout the day. Excessive coffee and alcohol intake, however, can worsen dehydration.

2. Logging Too Much “Screen Time”

Any screen, be it a computer, smartphone or tablet, can cause “computer eye strain.” When you stare at an electronic device for too long, you fail to blink enough to keep your eyes moist. Many people also sit at the wrong distance from their computers and wind up squinting or peering at the screen in order to see. Working in low light exacerbates the problem by forcing the eye to constantly adjust to changing levels of illumination.

Your eyes need a break once every half an hour to allow the muscles to relax. Simply looking away from the screen and out the window for 30 seconds can do the trick, or you can take a complete break and come back when your eyes feel refreshed.

3. Failing to Wear Protective Eyewear

Doing any kind of work that exposes you to flying particles or chemical fumes can cause damage to the surface of your eyes. Although the idea of using protective eyewear when cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn might seem a bit strange, it’s a smart way to avoid potential problems. Even the smallest particle can result in serious harm if it scratches or cuts your eye.

4. Ignoring Your Overall Health

If your body isn’t healthy, your eyes won’t be either. Support total wellness with a diet rich in nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables and good fats from nuts and seeds. Complement these powerhouses with a daily workout regimen that includes a combination of strength training and cardiovascular exercises. Together, these can help prevent health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, both of which can negatively affect the small blood vessels that carry nutrients to your eyes.

5. Not Getting Regular Checkups

Routine trips to the eye doctor ensure that your glasses or contacts are the right strength and that no unseen problems are brewing that may affect your vision. Make an annual exam part of your regular schedule to preserve the health of your eyes.

Of course, it’s possible that genetics or other factors may result in common vision problems that include nearsightedness or farsightedness regardless of how you treat your eyes. Procedures, such as LASIK surgery, can restore your vision, but you still need to adopt a healthy lifestyle to prevent future damage. The better you treat your eyes now, the less you have to worry about deterioration.

How to Further Prevent Eye Damage

CorrectVision Laser Institute is one of Florida’s most advanced vision correction practices with extensive experience in eye health. Our goal is to open your eyes to the world of great vision by offering unparalleled expertise and the most advanced technology available. Contact us today for a consultation with one of our South Florida eye specialists, located in Hollywood, Weston and Pembroke Pines!