Eyes are extremely sensitive and interesting part of our body. Through our eyes intricate design and composition, we are privileged to have the priceless gift of sight. I bet most of us have been told by someone, at some time, “You’ll hurt your eyes if you do that!” But do you even know what is good or bad for your eyes? Here are some interesting eye facts that you may not have known about your eyes.
1. Reading in dark can damage your eyes
FALSE—Dim light might make it difficult for the eyes to focus but it does not damage them. For centuries, when there was no electricity, all work including reading and sewing was done by candlelight or with gas or kerosene lamps. However, dim lighting does make reading difficult and can cause short-term eye fatigue, especially for people who wear eyeglasses.
2. Using computers can damage your eyes
FALSE— many people might have misled you by saying; working on computers can harm your eyes. Mostly, when you use a computer for longer periods of time, just like reading, your eyes blink less often than normal. This reduced blinking rate makes your eyes dry.Again, this is uncomfortable, but it doesn’t damage the function of your eyes. You can use lubricating drops if dry eyes are a problem. Now your next question is going to be, “What about sitting too close to the TV?”
3. Sitting close to the television can damage children’s eyes
FALSE— Contrary to the widespread myth, sitting close to a TV will not damage children eyes but it may cause eyestrain. Children can focus up close without eyestrain better than adults. Therefore children habitually develop the routine of holding reading materials close bytheir eyes or watching television sitting right in front. There is no substantiation that sitting close to the television damages the eyes either in children or adults. With children, this habit generallyreduces as they grow older.Children with poor sight (myopia) sometimes sit close to the television to see the images more clearly.
4. Laser eye surgery can damage your eyesight
FALSE—Sometimes the mere thought of eye surgery is enough to send shivers down someone’s spine. The eyes are extremely sensitive, and when you consider what the word ‘surgery’ entails, it is easy to understand why people have concerns. However, the reality is that laser eye surgery is much less invasive than you might think. Yes, there are potential hazards associated with the surgery, just as there are hazards when it comes to any other surgery. Laser eye surgery is a necessary alternative for many people, especially when other options such as eye glasses or contact lenses are not a viable option. The reality is that laser eye surgery is far safer than you might believe. The most common form of laser eye surgery is called LASIK, which stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. For many patients, laser eye surgery has the potential for allowing them to achieve 20/20 vision.
5. LASIK is painful and isn’t really a “surgery”
FALSE—What many people do not realize is that laser eye surgery is usually not painful at all, and the actual treatment process can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. Most people can expect to experience positive results as quickly as 24 hours after surgery. It is easy to see why people have concerns about getting laser eye surgery. When people think about surgery they usually associate it with cutting instruments and painful wounds. Laser eye surgery is unique in that it does not require surgical blades and intensive rehabilitation.
6. You can go blind from LASIK
FALSE—Unfortunately, many people cast judgments on the procedure before they fully understand the steps which are involved. Fear of going blind is the top reason why most people opt to go a different route in the treatment of their vision issues. However, the reality is that blindness and other complications related to laser eye procedures are extremely rare. Don’t let hearsay and false statements steer you away from experiencing better vision for the rest of your life.
7. All “eye doctors” are the same
FALSE— An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) trained with special skills to identify and treat all diseases of the eye. On the other hand, optometrists and opticians are are trained and licensed to provide some aspects of eye care. They cannot prescribe all medications or perform all types of eye surgery.
Featured photo credit: flickr.com via flickr.com
