You probably heard some myths about eyes and eyesight growing up. Your friends and relatives meant well, but some of the common ideas about what’s harmful for your vision are false.
Here are four examples of popular eye myths about vision:
Sitting Too Close to the TV Is Bad for Your Eyes
This is only true in the short-term. Your eyes may get dry staring at a TV or computer screen for a long period of time and your eyesight will be strained directly afterward, but not in the long-term.
Squinting Damages Your Vision
If anything, squinting may just mean you need glasses. It won’t make your vision any worse. You squint because it enhances your focus. Squinting may suggest you have a refractive error that results in blurry vision. Although the act of squinting won’t damage how your eye sees, the contraction of the muscles in your face may give you a headache.
Reading Under Poor Light Harms Your Vision
Greater amounts of light will make it easier to see, of course, but in low-light, your pupil enlarges to let in more light. As with squinting, the only down side to your eyesight in this situation is temporary strain. Reading in poor light won’t inflict any long-lasting damage to your vision.
Wearing Glasses Causes Vision to Deteriorate
Glasses don’t do anything to physically change your eyesight, and wearing the right prescription glasses won’t make you more dependent on them. The natural effects of aging on your vision have kept this myth alive. Most people who wear eyeglasses now will need stronger prescriptions as they age. This is true regardless of how much the person wore glasses between prescriptions.
For a regular eye exam, contact lens prescriptions, or laser vision correction, contact Boston Laser. With 9,000 procedures under our belts, we’re experts at promoting the very best eyesight possible for our patients. Call us today at (617) 566-0062 for more information.
