The beginning of a new year is the best time to leave what is unnecessary in the past, including eye health misconceptions that must be dispelled. But you might be wondering, what misconceptions?
For instance, we are told time and time again about the amazing benefits of carrots, which most of us believe to somehow help in attaining the 20/20 vision we all long for — but is that really the case? What about sitting too close to the television? Does it really hurt the eyes? Let’s find out.
1. Eating carrots will give you superhuman vision.
Contrary to popular belief — it won’t. While carrots are rich in Vitamin A, which can help you see better in low-light conditions, a balanced diet is more effective in boosting your eyes than dosing yourself with Vitamin A. How so? An excessive amount of anything is never recommended, and the body only keeps the amount of vitamin A it needs by getting rid of any excess. That being said, eating more carrots than you actually need won’t give you x-ray vision, nor will it promote excellent vision.
2. Sitting too close to the television can hurt your eyes.
Older counterparts of the now-popular LED televisions do give off a small amount of radiation, but are way below harmful levels. The short answer to this myth is no, sitting a bit closer to the TV won’t affect your eyes. More importantly, the majority of modern televisions use LED which does not emit radiation. You may experience other side effects affiliated with being a couch potato, but your eyes suffering from watching movies and shows won’t be one of them. Just remember to let your eyes rest whenever they start to feel tired. Just because modern TVs won’t hurt your eyes, does not mean you should abuse them.
3. Colorblindness is specific to males.
While males are more susceptible to colorblindness, the reality is that girls can get them, too. The statistic is that males are 8% more likely to be colorblind, while only 0.5% of the ladies may experience it.
4. You only need to get eye check-ups whenever you feel something is amiss.
You must commit to getting routine eye checkups because your eyesight can drastically change over the years. The frequentness of your check-ups must increase as you age since many eye conditions manifest as one becomes older.
5. Bright sunlight can cause your eyes to develop cataracts.
Sadly, it does. The culprit behind this phenomenon is the ultra-violet (UV) light from the sun, which can increase the rate of cataracts. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says UV-blocking sunglasses and hats must be worn whenever out in the sun. They even include babies and toddlers in that recommendation.
We hope that this article helped in debunking some common myths about eye health. In case you want to come in for a checkup to ensure that your windows to the soul are in the pink of health, look no further than Arizona Retinal Specialists to provide the care and maintenance your eyes need. Call us today at 623-474-3937.
