Despite relying on our eyes as our main sensory organ, the eyes are surprisingly easy to damage – and if damaged, they may never be restored. Eye injury can result from a wide variety of commonplace things and activities. You should always be aware of dangers to your eyes, and work to protect them. They’re the only eyes you’ll ever have.
Five Common Mistakes That Can Cause Eye Injury
1 – Smoking
It’s well-known that smoking damages the mouth, sinuses, and lungs. However, many people don’t know that smoking is also linked to a wide variety of dangerous eye disorders, including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
In short, smokers are more likely to lose their vision later in life. If you smoke, consider that yet another entry on the long list of reasons to quit.
2 – Not wearing eye protection
You should be wearing eye protection in any situation where flying objects or debris could potentially hit the eye. This ranges from playing games with fast-moving objects, to doing work such as construction or woodcutting. If there’s any chance of something flying into your eye, put on goggles – or at least wear glasses/sunglasses for a little protection.
3 – Poor contact lens management
Contact lenses must be cleaned regularly, or they could develop bacteria which turns into eye infections. In addition, never ever go swimming or otherwise immerse your head in water while wearing contacts. The chances of infection are high.
If you want to see while underwater, talk to your optometrist about ordering prescription swimming goggles.
On the topic, also avoid cheap decorative contact lenses, such as the novelty lenses that come with Halloween costumes. They’re almost always poorly made from cheap plastic and have a real risk of scratching the eye.
4 – Sleeping with makeup on
Eye makeup, especially mascara, can make its way into your eyes while you sleep and do real damage. Always remove facial makeup before bed, to be safe.
5 – Ignoring other health conditions
Conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure can directly affect the eyes, if they aren’t managed properly. Always follow your doctor’s orders and stay on top of chronic diseases, to protect your eyes along with the rest of your body.
Of course, you also need yearly eye exams! A single check-up can catch a wide variety of eye diseases early on, when they’re still easy to cure. Don’t put off that eye exam; contact Valley Eyecare Center for an appointment!
