Keep an eye out for these 7 everyday habits that are hurting your vision
Posted May 10, 2021 by Jennifer Bohl, M.D.
Vision is something many of us take for granted. We use our eyes to see our loved ones, read a great book or watch a movie, play video games with our children and every activity in between.
However, you may be surprised to see that many of the habits you practice every day could actually be putting your eyesight at risk and could lead to painful eye conditions or even vision loss.
Yes, some eye conditions are hereditary, but many are a result of poor eye care. Summa Health discusses 7 bad habits that could be hurting your eyes and how to break them to protect your vision for years to come.
Rubbing your eyes
Yes, rubbing your eyes too much is harmful to them. Rubbing puts unnecessary pressure on your eyes and can actually lead to scratched corneas. If you rub your eyes for an extended period of time, it could lead to serious eye conditions.
Not to mention, when you rub your eyes, you’re placing germs from your hands in your eyes, which can lead to infection, such as pink eye.
If your eyes are itchy, use a cold compress to relieve them. If you think there’s something in your eye causing irritation, try rinsing them with water or saline instead.
Too much screen time
The average American worker spends seven hours a day on a digital device, according to the American Optometric Association. It’s not just adults, either. Kids spend several hours on digital devices a day, too.
As a result, many people suffer from what’s referred to as digital eyestrain, causing headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes and eye irritation. In addition, if you spend too much time on the screen right before bedtime, it can make it difficult to fall asleep.
To help alleviate digital eyestrain, follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away.
No sunglasses
Before stepping outside, you should always grab your sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays — just like you protect your skin from them. Also, make sure your shades offer 99 to 100% UV protection and never look directly at the sun.
If you’re going to be outside for long periods of time, wear sunglasses even if it’s cloudy. Over time, damage from UV rays can lead to serious eye conditions, such as cataracts and pterygium, which causes an abnormal growth over the whites of your eyes.
In addition, not wearing sunglasses increases your risk of cancer of the eyelids and the skin around your eyes, as well as the eye itself.
No eye protection
From mowing the lawn and home improvement projects to cleaning with chemicals to swimming, it’s important to protect your eyes from injury by wearing safety glasses.
Use common sense. If there’s a risk of something flying or splashing in your eyes, wear proper protection.
Poor diet
Just like your body, your eyes need vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. Foods rich in vitamins C and E, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, such as leafy greens, seafood, nuts and, of course, fresh fruits and vegetables, protect your eyes and overall health.
In addition, it’s important to drink plenty of water each day. Just like your body needs hydration to keep systems working properly, so do your eyes. Dehydration can lead to dry, red, itchy eyes. So, be sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day to keep your eyes moist.
Smoking
Smoking has long been known to cause heart disease and lung cancer. But believe it or not, people who smoke also are hurting their eyes. Smoking can lead to macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and several other eye diseases.
It’s never too late to quit smoking. Talk to your doctor about smoking cessation programs or nicotine replacement therapy to help you break the bad habit.
Skipping regular eye exams
The American Optometric Association recommends adults should have a comprehensive eye and vision exam at least every two years, depending on age and risk factors. Aging and chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, can cause problems for your eyes and even lead to vision loss.
An eye checkup can reveal more than just vision problems. The doctor is checking inside your eye for issues with the retina, blood vessels and optic nerves to detect vision problems or eye diseases. The problem is many eye diseases don’t show signs until they are quite advanced and possibly irreversible.
The key to good eyesight is proper eye care. So be sure to develop a relationship with an ophthalmologist and have regular eye exams to keep your vision healthy for years to come.
To schedule an appointment with a Summa Health optometrist, click here.
About the Author
Vitality eNews Sign Up
Receive the Summa Health eNewsletter for the latest health tips, advice and updates.
Related Blogs
Hearing is one of the important senses for obvious reasons: You need to hear to communicate and connect with others! But, did you know the ability to hear also is crucial for maintaining other aspects of your health, such as your balance and brain health?
It’s true. Hearing loss can significantly impact your daily life, and studies show it can lead to social anxiety and isolation, an increased fall risk, dementia and depression.
Unfortunately, hearing loss is a common…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in 10 Americans have diabetes. Diabetes can take a toll on your quality of life, seriously impact your physical and mental well-being and lead to many medical issues, including affecting the eye.
Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye conditions that affect diabetic patients. Patients who maintain high blood glucose for a prolonged period of time can damage the tiny blood vessels located behind…
Nosebleeds are very common and can strike at any time. While they can look scary with blood trickling out your nose, the good news is nosebleeds are rarely serious.
But you may be wondering, what is causing this messy nuisance?
There are many reasons why you could be getting nosebleeds. The most common cause is dry air. During the winter months, dry household heat and cold, dry air outside can irritate nasal membranes and trigger nosebleeds.
Other reasons for nosebleeds can…
Tonsillectomies are common surgeries performed on children. But sometimes adults can benefit from having their tonsils removed, too.
Tonsils are two oval-shaped clumps of tissue that sit in the back of your throat to trap germs that enter your body through your mouth or nose. Because they are your immune system’s first line of defense against bacteria or viruses, they are particularly vulnerable to infection and inflammation. This can cause recurring sore throats,…
We’ve all experienced it at one time or another: the dreaded hiccups. They can be funny at first, if not hysterical, but they quickly become a nuisance. Hiccups affect everyone, from babies in utero all the way up to senior citizens, but what are these loud, noisy, disruptive and sometimes uncomfortable hiccups?
Hiccups occur when the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle between the lungs and the stomach, spasms from irritation. The diaphragm pulls down when you inhale to let…
The thyroid is a small but mighty gland in your neck that produces the thyroid hormone which has huge importance in how your body functions. This gland impacts many different areas of your health, including your metabolism, heart function, digestive function, muscle control, mood and brain development.
According to the American Thyroid Association,more than 20 million Americans suffer from some form of thyroid disease, and women are as much as 8 times more likely than men to…
Updated April 2025
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that causes progressive damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to vision loss and even blindness. There are different types of glaucoma, each of which is related to pressure inside the eye. Most of the time, glaucoma develops later in life, however, it is possible to affect people at any age. The vision loss from glaucoma is permanent and it is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over…
Warmer air, flowers blooming, sunshine! Most of us are happy to be headed into spring. But for some of us, this is the time of year we dread the most - spring allergy season. Did you know spring allergies can actually begin as early as February, depending on your location and the duration of your winter season? And, they can last until the middle of summer!
Common Causes of Allergies
First, let’s talk about the most common cause of allergies: pollen. It’s an…