Everyone grew up with a lot of tall tales about living healthily from their parents and grandparents. As you get older, you realise that sometimes the things that they were telling you were sometimes exaggerations to get you to do something that was healthy for you (such as spinach will make you big and strong like Popeye), or outright lies to get you to give them some peace and quiet (apologies if you’re just now finding out the truth about Santa’s naughty list).
There are still a lot of myths and received wisdom about our eyes. A lot of these stories are directly connected to what people get told when they’re kids. And, as a result, a lot of myths have sprung from the rejection of those old pearls of wisdom. So, let’s have a look at some of the oldest and biggest myths around healthy eyesight and do some sorting of fact from fiction.
Myth 1: Carrots Will Help You See At Night
True, but not exactly! The sad news is that you won’t be able to see perfectly in the dark if you demolish a whole plate of boiled carrots. But diet does have a huge part to play in healthy eyesight. Your eyes and the muscles and nerves surrounding them need to be looked after (just like any other part of your body, really) and that means giving them the vitamins and minerals they need. Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, and that’s certainly important for healthy eyesight. But you should also be getting plenty of vitamin C, vitamin E and iron if you want to keep those eyes in tip-top shape. Make sure that you’re eating plenty of dark leafy greens, oily fish, nuts, and pulses. You can also get vitamin A from mangoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and squash.
Myth 2: Your Glasses Prescription Is The Same As Your Contacts Prescription
False. The prescription that you’ll need for your contact lenses is going to be different to the one you’d use for your standard eyeglasses. The reason for this is very simple: distance. Your glasses sit on the bridge of your nose, while your contact lenses will be placed directly onto your eyes. The difference in the prescription may not be huge, but it is important that you take it into account. While we’re on the subject of contact lenses, it’s worth noting that you don’t necessarily have to change your lenses every day. There are contacts on the market that you can use for up to 29 nights of continuous wear. Biofinity Toric contacts use Aquaform technology that keeps the lenses soft and moist, and their Toric design helps to keep them stable and secure no matter what you’re doing. Find out more about how these lenses can give you more support by talking to the team at Lenstore. Of course, if you prefer eyeglasses to contact lenses, there are plenty of options available to you as well. And just like with contact lenses, it’s important to have the right prescription for your eyeglasses to ensure that you’re seeing clearly and comfortably. If you are in search of a new pair of eyeglasses check CoolFrames’s Lightec glasses.
Myth 3: Sunglasses Are Just For Comfort
False. Everyone loves a comfy pair of sunglasses, but they are doing more than just helping you to see clearly when the sun’s in your eyes. When you’re out in bright sunlight, your eyes are getting a hefty dose of ultraviolet radiation in the form of UVA and UVB rays. You can run the risk of developing serious conditions including cataracts, cancers, damage to your cornea and conjunctiva and macular degeneration if you’re not careful. Now, it’s worth noting that older sunglasses may not offer much in the way of UV protection. If you’ve been using an old pair of hand-me-downs, there are plenty of models out there that do. Please don’t forget to take your sunglasses with you if you’re heading on a beach holiday. It can even be a difference-maker on a sunny day here in the UK (when they finally get here).
Myth 4: You Only Get Eye Problems As You Get Older
False. Well, it’s important to note that your eyes will almost certainly need some extra support as you age, but that’s true of every single part of your body. But you can start to experience some deterioration in your eyesight even as a child, especially if issues are not addressed nice and early. This is why you need to get your eyes tested regularly. The optician is not just trying to sell you a new pair of glasses when they ask you to read out as many letters from the card as you can. They are checking that your prescription is up to date and that your eyes are getting all the support that you need. Even if you haven’t noticed any changes to your vision, it is still recommended that you get a new eye test done every two years. They might notice an issue that you haven’t detected, and be able to advise on how you can pick up some better habits such as taking regular breaks from your screens and electrical devices.
