Eye-related myths and facts you should know

When it comes to your eye health, you can’t afford to believe everything you hear. You should have the good sense to differentiate myths from facts and don’t spread information unless it’s coming from a reliable source.

So today, I decided to address some of the common eye-related myths and facts doing rounds on the internet and break the truth to you. If you’re also excited to know whether those old wives tales you heard from your grandmother or mother are true you, my friend, are at the right place.

Talking about everything from the connection between prescription glasses and screen time to that age-old ‘sneezing with eyes open’ theory, I’ll break down the science for you.

Come on, let’s set the records straight.

7 eye-related myths and facts

1. Spinach and carrots are good for your eyes

Parents would say anything just to make their kids eat healthily. But as it turned out, your parents didn’t lie when they told you that carrots and spinach are good for your eyes. They just didn’t tell you the reason behind it cuz you were too young (in my case - uninterested) to understand the science.

Carrots are rich in vitamin A that could prevent eye diseases such as cataracts. Also, they are rich in antioxidants and increase the pigmentation in the macula and brings down the risk of macular degeneration.

So, this one is a straight-up fact and far true from all the misconceptions about the eye doing rounds on the internet.

2. Electronic screens are bad for your eyes

Anyone else’s parents used to scold them for sitting too close to the TV? Well, they had a point. Gosh, parents are always right!

Screen time is hard on your eyes. You must already know this if you have a screen heavy lifestyle. It leads to eye strain and also causes other temporary issues in your vision.

The long term hazards of screen time are yet to be map out by the eye experts. But as far as screen time goes, yes, it’s greatly uncomfortable and painful. Thus, make sure you use blue light glasses and give timely breaks to your eyes during screen time.

3. Colour blindness means seeing no colours

I am not questioning your good judgement but there are some people I’ve met who thought that colours blindness means not being able to see specific colours. And if you’re one of them, you’re absolutely wrong.

People with colour vision deficiency are only able to pick shades of white, black or grey. There are so many types of colour blindness but red-green colour blindness is the most common type. In this problem, yellow, green, red and brown shades appear the same to the eyes. Some statistics also suggest that men are more likely to be colour blind than women.

4. Over-the-counter glasses aren’t good enough

This one is a fact. It should not be news that OTC glasses aren’t the best thing for your vision. They might not harm your eyesight, but they sure don’t provide you with the best visual performance.

Prescription and non-prescription reading glasses are different in terms of features and uses. Where non-prescription readers only magnify your vision field, prescription reading glasses also correct any refraction in your eyes.

OTC glasses don’t take into account whether you have a different vision in both eyes. Most people don’t have equal vision in their eyes, but ready readers assume that they do. So, one of your eyes could be under or overcorrected.

Thus, whenever you’re buying reading glasses, make sure the prescription fits your particular vision needs. When we dispense eyeglass prescriptions to our patients, we consider everything from their lifestyle, general health, age and eyesight requirements.

5. You can’t sneeze with your eyes open

This has to be on your eye-related myths and facts list. I remember I heard this one from one of my classmates when I was in 4th grade. And like everyone else, I tried to do it but couldn’t. So I believed that it was indeed true. But it isn’t.

Sneezing with your eyes open is difficult. When we are about to sneeze, the muscles in our face contract and these include some of the eye muscles as well. This is why keeping your eyes open while sneezing is difficult but not impossible.

Some people also believe that our eyes close on their own when sneezing just to avoid contact with the junk that’s gonna come out of your body. While we don’t know which one is true, I guess we’ve successfully established the fact that you can sneeze with your eyes open.

6. You only need an eye test when there’s a problem

This is one of the most common myths about eye care spread by people who’re too lazy to show up for regular eye tests.

Eye problems rarely show symptoms until they become chaotic. And by the time you’ll decode the eye pain, it’ll be too late. So if you want to get ahead of vision problems, you need to have annual comprehensive eye exams.

If that’s a burden on your pocket, book an appointment online to get a free eye test from us. Our eye test labs are equipped with the latest technology for accurate diagnosis of vision problems and allowing thorough eye exams.

We provide eye tests to all age groups. We believe in offering lifelong visual aid so that our patient’s vision is always cared for at every stage of life. With our licenced eye experts, you can ensure that your eye health is in good hands.

Along with free eye tests, we also offer affordable prescription glasses to help you get a clear vision. Having a wide range of styles from 70s aviator glasses to contemporary geometric frames, our glasses are the perfect mix of fashion and function.

7. Cataracts are a genetic cause

People often believe that cataracts come from our parents. If someone in your family has this eye disorder, then you’re most likely to have it as well. Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness all over the world.

So, it’s important to know that it isn’t always hereditary. There are several environmental factors that lead to the development of this problem. While cataracts are inevitable after you cross 60, some people may acquire this problem sooner than later. Smoking and eye injuries are the most common causes behind acquired cataracts.

Make sure you bring down your alcohol consumption, quit smoking if you smoke and eat healthy foods to decrease the risk of developing cataracts.

So, here are these eye myths debunked so you don’t believe just any random statement or claim you heard from some rookie. I hope you now understand what’s true and what’s not when it comes to how our eyes work.