If you were ever scolded as a child for reading in the dark, or if you’ve worn blue-blocking glasses when working on a computer, you may have misconceptions about eye health.
Reading a book or looking at an electronic device up close is bad for your eyes.
TRUE. Our eyes are not meant to focus on objects close to our face for long periods of time, said Xiaoying Zhu, a principal investigator of myopia at the State University of New York College of Optometry in New York City. When we do, especially in childhood, it causes the eyeball to elongate, which over time can cause nearsightedness.
Reading in the dark can make your eyesight worse.
Fake. However, if the lighting is so dim that you need to hold your book or tablet close to your face, that can elevate the risks mentioned above.
Too much ultraviolet light can damage your eyesight.
TRUE. Too much exposure to ultraviolet A and B rays from sunlight can “cause irreversible damage” on the retina, said Joshua Ehrlich, an assistant professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Michigan, and raise the risk of cataract.
Taking a break from wearing glasses can keep your eyesight from getting worse.
Fake. Some patients tell Safal Khanal, an assistant professor of optometry and vision sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, that they don’t wear glasses all the time because they think it will worsen their condition. “That’s not true,” he said. If you need glasses, wear them.
Even some blue light from screens is bad for the eyes.
Fake. Although some research shows that blue light exposure can potentially cause vision problems over time, no solid evidence has confirmed that this happens with typical exposure, Ehrlich said. There is also no evidence that wearing blue light blocking glasses improves eye health.
Smoking is bad for eye health.
TRUE. A 2011 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study linked smoking with eye diseases in older adults, including cataracts and macular degeneration.
The deterioration of vision is an inevitable part of aging.
Fake. Most causes of vision decline in adulthood can be prevented or treated if caught early, Ehrlich said. Seeing an optometrist or ophthalmologist right away (or regularly) will give you the best chance of avoiding these conditions, he said.
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HE NEW YORK TIMES
BBC-NEWS-SRC: http://www.nytsyn.com/subscribed/stories/6759488, IMPORTING DATE: 2023-06-13 21:50:07
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