Seven Myths And Facts About Vision

Every second Thursday in October, World Vision Day is celebrated, the main purpose of which is to raise awareness of people about vision and vision loss. Here are seven common vision myths.

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Every second Thursday in October, World Vision Day is celebrated, the main purpose of which is to raise awareness of people about vision and vision loss. Here are seven common vision myths.

Myth 1. People become addicted to glasses and lenses as soon as they start using them

This is not entirely true. If you are nearsighted or farsighted, but want to see clearly, you are already in some way "addicted" to vision correction devices. But regular wear of glasses or lenses will not increase this addiction.

Myth 2. Reading small print impairs vision. Especially if the eyes are "weak"

This is a very strong myth. However, the eyes do not "wear out" from reading, in any case, there is no convincing evidence of this. Long-term concentration can make your eyes tired, but it will not cause long-term harm. Fatigue is also an unpleasant phenomenon, it can be fought with periodic respites and eye exercises.

Myth 3. Vision will deteriorate if you sit close to the TV or hold a book close to your eyes

Oddly enough, this widespread belief also has no scientific evidence. Children are more likely to try to sit closer to the screen; over time, this habit can go away. There is one caveat. Sitting closer to the child's screen can be pushed by existing myopia. That is, such a habit can help its early detection.

Myth 4. A computer can damage human eyesight

A computer, according to today's data, cannot harm vision. Sitting at the computer, we blink less often, which can affect the sensations in the eyes and their appearance: vision may temporarily become blurry, and the eyes may dry out and turn red. Ideally, it would be nice to be distracted from the computer every 20 minutes. Artificial tears can be used to combat dry eyes.

Myth 5. Wearing the wrong glasses will damage your eyesight

Glasses that were not specially tailored for you or that no longer fit you after a long time can cause serious discomfort. But they are not able to damage vision, make it worse. The worst thing that can be in this case is a headache, blurred vision and some other unpleasant sensations. Some time after removing the glasses, they should pass without a trace and without affecting vision.

But ophthalmologists remind that children should always wear well-fitted glasses to prevent amblyopia (a condition when one eye is weaker than the other).

Myth 6. For good vision, you need to eat a lot of carrots

This is a half-myth or a kind myth. Of course, this root vegetable contains a decent amount of vitamin A, which is really good for eyesight. But, on the one hand, this substance (or rather, a group of substances) can be obtained from many other products. On the other hand, not so much vitamin A is required for normal vision: a balanced diet usually contains it. And, of course, the addiction “the more I eat a vitamin, the better I will see” does not exist.

Myth 7. There is nothing we can do to prevent vision loss

More than 90 percent of eye injuries can be prevented in relatively inexpensive ways, according to the charity Prevent Blindness. In a new report on vision, the WHO says that there are 2.2 billion people worldwide now with visual impairments, including blindness. In 1 billion cases, vision impairment could or can still be prevented.

Prepared using data from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Prevent Blindness, the World Health Organization, and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.