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Detrimental Habits Affecting Your Eyesight

Detrimental Habits Affecting Your Eyesight

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Highlights:
  • Over 2 billion people suffer from some sort of visual impairment
  • Rubbing your eyes, too much screen time, unhealthy diet, dehydration and not getting enough sleep can hamper your eye health
  • Spend at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes looking at something 20 feet away to give your eyes a break
It is believed eyes are the windows to an individual’s soul, but some habits in the long term can cause irreversible damage to one’s eyesight.
There are about 2.2 billion people globally with near or distant vision impairment, according to a 2021 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (1 Trusted Source
Blindness and vision impairment

Go to source
).

India has the second largest population in the world and houses over 20 percent of the world’s blind population.

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Factors Causing Blindness

Visual impairment is a major health problem across the globe, and while a number of factors are responsible for poor vision, including age, genetics, and the environment, everyday habits are just as important. There are indications that daily habits can affect a person's eyesight and develop into further complications if not addressed in time.

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Effect of Screen Time on Eyes

Working for long hours, especially on a computer has become a daily practice for many people today. The pandemic and the work-from-home culture meant that people have to work virtually for long hours every day.

Such a lifestyle can inevitably cause significant strain on your eyes and lead to eye-related problems if not properly checked. A condition often associated with this is ‘screen-sightedness’ or computer vision syndrome.

The 20-20-20 technique is a simple yet effective way to take frequent breaks to reduce the stress on your due to extended use of digital devices. Spend at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes looking at something 20 feet away.

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How Does Diet Affect Eyesight

Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamins C and E, and dark leafy greens, nuts, eggs, oranges, and seafood can help keep eyes healthy.

Is Lack of Sleep Bad for Eyes?

Lack of sleep, especially when it happens on a regular basis, can have many negative effects on our health, both short-term and long-term, including a weakened immune system, weight gain, heart disease, high blood pressure, mood changes, and memory issues.

It also affects the health of our eyes significantly. Not resting enough can manifest in bloodshot eyes, dark circles, blurred vision, dry eyes, and other conditions.

How Much Rest do Eyes Need?

According to research, the eyes need about 7 to 9 hours of good sleep daily to replenish themselves and function well.

What Happens When you rub Your Eyes?

Rubbing your eyes all day can also cause some damage to your sight. Rubbing the eyes can break blood vessels present under your eyelids. When the eyes are irritated, instead of rubbing the eyes, try applying a cold compress instead.

Sunglasses are a Must

Not wearing sunglasses can also have harmful effects on your eyes. Our eyes are vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and weather elements which can affect the health of our vision in numerous ways. Wearing the right sunglasses on a regular basis can prevent the development of macular degeneration or cataracts. Beyond that, sunglasses also help protect against dry-eye syndrome by blocking the wind and dust that could gain access to your eyes.

Staying Hydrated

Staying dehydrated. Water is essential for the body to help maintain hydration. Our eyes rely on water to help keep them lubricated in the form of tears. It is quite normal for dust, dirt, and other debris present in the air to sneak into our eyes. In the absence of moisture, one may develop dry, red, or puffy eyes. Thus, it is important to stay hydrated by consuming plenty of water every day.

Moreover, regular eye check-ups are essential for the timely identification and treatment of visual ailments.

Reference:
  1. Blindness and vision impairment - (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment)


  2. Source: Medindia


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