Eye Myths Debunked
March 24, 2017
Our knowledge of eye health often comes from everywhere. Family, friends, common sense. Often we can trust what we hear, but sometimes the occasional fiction appears within the facts. We're here to help separate the myth from the reality.Myth 1 - Rubbing your eyes does no harmThe most obvious to begin, when you scrunch your eyes and apply a good rub with your knuckles, it may feel good temporarily, but do it too often and you risk causing significant loss of sight. For most people, an occasional gentle rub is fine, but a better way to combat irritated eyes is to apply a warm, moist towel onto your closed eyes. Myth 2 - Reading in dim light damages your eyesThere is no evidence that this piece of common sense is actually true. It may cause temporary "eye strain" but this has no long term consequences. It is often actually the muscles around the eye that cause this pain. Myth 3 - SPF Sunglasses are unnecessary, especially for childrenRadiation damage on our eyes is a cumulative process, so protection from early on can prevent against eye conditions developing later in life. UV protection is essential as this is what does the most damage to your eye, burning your cornea and causing inflammation.Myth 4 - Glasses can further weakens your eyesThis is false, false, false. Sadly, ageing distorts the lens of your eye making it harder to focus on anything close to you. With or without glasses, this process continues to get worse over time. A good pair of bifocals or reading glasses with the right prescription can combat this process, and when glasses are not enough, here at Mobile Eye Clinic we also specialise in specialty Low Vision products.