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Five Eye Myths

Five eye myths

You eyes aren’t mechanical.

The human body is a mysterious thing and your eyes are, too. There are so many urban legends and old wives’ tales floating out there about your eye health. However, EyeLASIK is here to debunk five eye myths.

MYTH #1 – Sitting too close to the television or computer will ruin your eyes.

TRUTH – In fact, if you’re sitting too close to any device, it’s likely that your vision most likely needs a little help already. If you require an item to be near your eyes in order to see it clearly, you may be nearsighted. If you haven’t seen an optometrist, you should definitely set up an appointment. Also, nearsightedness is something LASIK can correct.

MYTH #2 – Looking directly at the sun while wearing sunglasses totally acceptable.

TRUTH – No. There’s zero reason to look directly at the sun. The sun emits damaging UV rays (you can read more about them here). Even the best sunglasses on the market cannot block UV rays 100%. These rays can cause a sunburn-like effect on your eyes known as photokeratitis, in additional to drying out your eyes and causing wrinkles. Just…don’t.

MYTH #3 – Eating carrots makes your eyesight improve.

TRUTH – This is semi-true. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which is a nutrient necessary to help with eyesight. However, carrots alone cannot do the job. Foods such as leafy greens, legumes, fishes high in omega-3’s, and whole grains can provide a boost in critical vitamins and minerals to boost eye function.

MYTH #4 – All vision problems are hereditary.

TRUTH – Some are, some aren’t. Vision issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism are most likely not passed down from your parents. However, diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts could make it down the family tree. Be sure to discuss your family history with your optometrist.

MYTH #5 – Once you have LASIK, there’s no need to continue seeing a regular eye doctor.

TRUTH – This is so false. SO false. While LASIK can definitely help correct vision problems. However, it will not prevent other issues, such as disease or infection. Many of these illnesses come with age, so it’s critical to continue with annual eye examinations.

EyeLASIK is all about educating our patients about how to improve their overall eye health. We hope we’ve helped you bust these five eye myths!