The sense of sight is one of the five cardinal senses. It is a blessing we often take for granted, but one that we cannot afford to if we can avoid it. Although some eye conditions are hereditary, many are a result of poor vision care and careless habits. It may be surprising for you to find out that actions you take on a daily basis might be negatively impacting your eyesight. If you feel any discomfort in your eyes, make sure to visit an eye specialist in Lahore.

The following are a few bad habits that you should break so that you can protect your vision for years to come:

Not Wearing Your Sunglasses

When you forget to wear your sunglasses, you expose your eyes to the sun’s harmful UV and high-energy visible (HEV) rays. These can prematurely age and damage your eyes and eyelids. Long periods of exposure can lead to sunburn on the front surface of the eye (photokeratitis), macular degeneration, cataracts, pinguecula and pterygium; and in some cases, cancer of the eyelid.

To protect your eyes, be certain to wear sunglasses that block 100% of the sun’s UV rays. It is advisable to wear them every time you are outdoors – even on overcast days.

Smoking

Smoking harms almost every part of your body – including your eyes. If you indulge in this unfortunate habit, rest assured you are putting your eyes at risk. Research has linked smoking to eye diseases such as macular degeneration, dry eyes, cataracts, uveitis, and diabetic retinopathy.

Smokers are four times more likely to lose their vision compared to people who do not smoke. The positive takeaway is that quitting, regardless of what your age is, can help lessen your risk of developing a severe eye condition.

Not Getting Enough Sleep and Rubbing your Eyes

People refer to it as beauty sleep for a reason. However, getting enough sleep does much more than amplify your looks. If you are not getting enough rest, you may notice that your eyes are red or bloodshot. You may also notice dark circles, eye twitches, dry eyes and blurry vision. Not only does not getting enough rest affect your vision, but it can affect your overall health as well.

Chances are, if you are not well-rested, you are more inclined towards rubbing your eyes often. This practice can be detrimental because the skin around your eyes is very delicate. Rubbing your eyes can actually break the tiny blood vessels that are under the skin’s surface and lead to dark circles or a puffy appearance.

Continuous eye rubbing over an extended period of time can lead to a condition known as keratoconus. Keratoconus causes a thinning of the cornea and results in the cornea losing its shape. This condition can lead to blurry vision. Even glasses and contact lenses cannot fix the issue sometimes.

If your eyes feel itchy or irritated, it is even more important not to make a habit out of this. Simply touching your eyes with dirty hands can spread bacteria and increase the likelihood of infections and conditions like styes. It is absolutely essential to wash your hands thoroughly before performing your daily skin routine on your face, applying makeup, or touching your face in general.

If your eyes are itchy, try a cold compress instead: with clean hands, wet a clean washcloth or cotton pad with cold water and hold it on your eye for a few minutes. This is a much safer option than rubbing your eyes and potentially doing yourself some damage!

Not Eating Properly or Drinking Enough Water

As with all health-related concerns, diet plays an essential role in preventing you from contracting eye diseases. If your daily diet does not include enough fruits and vegetables, then you are probably not getting the requisite vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids necessary for optimum eye health. A diet rich in colorful fruit, leafy greens, and fish are all essential to keeping your vision healthy. Eating properly can help prevent or manage many age-related eye diseases.

As for water, not drinking the recommended eight glasses of water per day and eating a high-sodium diet can cause your body to become dehydrated, and in turn may cause your eyes to not produce enough tears to keep them moisturized and properly nourished. Dehydration can result in dry eyes, red eyes and puffy eyelids. If you do not drink enough water, your organs will suffer – and that includes your eyes!

When you are dehydrated, your body will try to conserve as much water as possible, which means various parts of your body will be affected. You will not be able to produce the tears required for lubricating and keeping your eyes clean, so you have a greater likelihood to develop conditions such as eye strain and dry eyes if you are dehydrated.

Dry eye syndrome can cause irritation, blurred vision and swollen or painful eyes, so it is definitely something you want to avoid! Read more about dry eyes here. Make sure you drink plenty of water if dry eyes are something you suffer from.

Not Having Regular Eye Exams

Comprehensive eye exams can detect vision problems, eye diseases, and general health issues before you even recognize that they exist. Routine eye exams are especially important because certain vision-stealing diseases such as glaucoma often have no warning signs until there is a permanent, irreversible loss of vision.

Be sure to alert your doctor of your family’s eye health history to help determine whether you are at high risk for a particular eye disease or condition. The key to good eyesight is proper eye care, which includes ensuring you get regular eye exams. Do not forget to book an appointment with an eye specialist in Karachi.