The eyes are incredibly sensitive. They respond to what we eat, what we look at, and what we are exposed to. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to treat your eyes with care and look after them as much as possible. If you haven’t thought much about eye care, below are a few daily habits that can start damaging your eyes.
Rubbing Your Eyes
Rubbing your eyes might be a frequent occurrence, especially if you are tired or suffer from dryness or itching. While rubbing may provide a bit of relief, it can actually damage your eyes. Not only can the contact create irritation if there is dust or particles inside, but your hands and fingers are often exposed to bacteria, which can also seep into the eye.
Eye rubbing can also lead to thinning of the cornea, the eye’s outermost lens. Damaging this area can lead to other eye conditions such as astigmatism or keratoconus, so be mindful and avoid rubbing your eyes!
Contact Lens Carelessness
Contact lenses are great alternatives to glasses; however, they require that you wear them sensibly or else they can start damaging your eyes. For example, sleeping with your contacts puts you at risk of contracting an infection because they dry the eyes out and don’t allow them to breathe. You also shouldn’t wear your contacts in the shower or the swimming pool as you can allow harmful bacteria to enter the eye. This is because the lenses are porous and absorb water, letting in other nasty pathogens.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is important for so many functions in the body, including the eyes. Without adequate sleep, you will likely end up with dry eyes, twitching, blurry eyes, and even pain — depending on how long the lack of sleep has gone on. Ensure that you get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Your body (and eyes) will thank you for it!
Wearing Expired Make-up
Wearing old make-up is another thing that could be damaging your eyes. Unsurprisingly, make-up also gathers bacteria over time, so the longer it’s been sitting there, the more microbes there are likely to be. If you wear eye make-up on a regular basis, ensure that you change it up every 3 months, especially when it comes to mascara, as its moist formula is a haven for bacteria to thrive.
Smoking
We all know that smoking causes lung cancer, but did you also know that it can cause macular degeneration and cataracts? Surgery can help with cataracts, of course, and you may want to look at the PanOptix FAQ to find out more about corrective lenses. Bear in mind that while smoking may seem fine to do in the short term, it can start damaging your eyes and cause impaired vision over time.
Not Wearing Protective Eyewear
While wearing protective eyewear is common sense to some, to others, it may feel like a nuisance or something you don’t even think about. But not wearing protection can damaging your eyes. For example, not wearing goggles or glasses in the pool or while gardening can put your eyes at risk of infections. All kinds of particles, dirt, and molecules can enter the eye and lead to infections or physical trauma. So, be sure to protect your eyes whenever you are in an environment that may expose your eyes to water or debris.
