Top 5 Everyday Habits That Affect Your Vision

Discover how five daily habits, from screen time to hydration, impact your vision. Equip yourself with knowledge to protect your sight in a digital age.

Highlights:

Excessive screen time and smoking can significantly harm vision health
Untreated chronic conditions and lack of sleep exacerbate vision deterioration
Proper hydration and outdoor activities are pivotal for maintaining good eye health

Your eyes are priceless, and maintaining good vision is critical to living a healthy life. Adopting the appropriate daily routines in this fast-paced digital world can make a major difference in the long-term health of your vision. These five everyday behaviors, from limiting screen time to practicing proper eye cleanliness, can have a significant impact on your eyesight. Join us on a trip to discover how simple choices, such as a well-balanced diet and regular eye workouts, can protect your eyes and promote healthy vision, ensuring you can see the world in all its vibrant splendor for years to come.

Here are five daily practices that can affect your vision:

Experts Recommend Children to Undergo Early Vision Health Screening
A report published in the January issue of Optometry and Vision Science , official journal of the American Academy of Optometry, recommends children to undergo vision health screening.

‘Ever wondered how daily habits shape your vision health? From screens to hydration, learn the five key practices that affect your sight. Dive into our latest article for a clearer view! #eyecaretips #healthysight’

Excessive Screen Time Affects the Eyes

The world is full of displays. They can be found on televisions, computers, smartphones, and tablets, among other places. The amount of time people spend gazing at screens each day is referred to as screen time. Excessive screen usage can compromise vision and lead to strain, particularly in children (). People who spend more time on screens may also spend fewer hours remaining active and participating in physical activity (). As a result, make sure you set rigorous limits on how much time your children spend on screens.

Diabetic Retinopathy Affects 1 in 3 People With Uncontrolled Diabetes
Diabetic retinopathy can affect one out of every three patients with uncontrolled diabetes for 10-12 years.

Extensive Smoking is a Silent Threat to Vision Health

Cigarette smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for your lungs and heart. Tobacco use has been linked to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and optic nerve damage, all of which can result in vision loss (). Furthermore, cancer is a major cause of vision loss in persons over the age of 50, and it appears to double your chances of developing these disorders ().

Undetected Heart Diseases can Cause You to go Blind
Age related macular degeneration that can cause blindness can be linked to underlying heart diseases

Untreated Chronic Ailments Act as Stealthy Catalysts for Vision Loss

If you do not treat chronic medical issues such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, thyroid, and so on, your vision may gradually degrade (). For example, hypertensive retinopathy refers to retinal microvascular symptoms that develop in reaction to elevated blood pressure. Symptoms of hypertensive retinopathy are widespread in persons over the age of 40, and they are predictive of stroke, congestive heart failure, and cardiovascular mortality- independent of established risk factors ().

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Sleep and Outdoor Activity: Underestimated Factors in Vision Health

Complications such as dry eyes, red eyes, dark circles, eye spasms, and light sensitivity might result from a lack of effective sleep. Sleep deprivation has also been related to hormonal and neurological alterations in the body. These modifications may exacerbate impaired vision (). Staying indoors and not indulging in any physical activity, on the other hand, decreases eyesight. Although shortsightedness is partly inherited, researchers have revealed that youngsters who spend more time indoors are considerably more likely to be short-sighted than those who spend more time outside regularly ().

Hydration Plays an Essential Role From Cellular Health to Clear Vision

Our cells, organs, and tissues require water to maintain body temperature and other biological activities. Water in the form of tears also helps to keep our eyes moist. It is normal for dust, pollutants, and other particles in the environment to enter our eyes. Dry, red, or puffy eyes are more common if there is no moisture in the eyes. As a result, it is vital to maintain your body hydrated by ingesting adequate amounts of liquids daily ().

References:

Effect of increased screen time on eyes during COVID-19 pandemic - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36387628/)
Screen-based behaviour in children is more than meets the eye - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35144462/)
Effects of smoking on ocular health - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21897240/)
Ocular manifestations of cancer - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10387328/)
Eye Disease in Medical Practice: What You Should Know and Why You Should Know It - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33926637/)
Hypertensive Retinopathy - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30252236/)
Association between Visual Impairment and Low Vision and Sleep Duration and Quality among Older Adults in South Africa - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28753944/)
The effect of light and outdoor activity in natural lighting on the progression of myopia in children - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30573292/)
Hydration, fluid regulation and the eye: in health and disease - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25950246/)