Whether you have astigmatism, cataracts or 20/20 vision, you should know the truth around eye care myths.
Carrots help you see in the dark
This is not quite a myth but certainly isn’t a fact. Carrots have a high level of vitamin A and vitamin A helps us maintain healthy skin and vision. Liver actually has a far higher level of vitamin A than carrots do. No matter how much vitamin A you consume, you won’t miraculously have perfect night vision. Making sure you have a good amount of vitamin A in your diet is however important to make sure the quality of your vision, and skin, doesn’t decline.
Wearing glasses for too long can damage your eyes
Wearing glasses too much or too little cannot damage your eyesight. Glasses, or contact lenses, are there to improve sharpness of vision so that day-to-day tasks such as reading, using the computer and driving are easier, and safer. No permanent damage can be done by not wearing glasses enough or wearing them too often but a person may suffer from headaches. This is, however, only true in adults. When a young child is given glasses to prevent or improve lazy or crossed eyes they must be worn for the prescribed amount of time to avoid permanent eye problems.
Laser eye surgery is painful
We often get asked “is laser eye surgery painful?” and the answer is no. “Laser” and “eye” are two words that can sound concerning in the same sentence but the actual procedure is painless. To begin, a few numbing drops are applied to the patient’s eyes to prevent any pain. There may be some discomfort when your eyelids are being held open however eyes quickly adjust to reduced blinking. After the procedure there may be a tingling or a burning sensation but this is a normal part of most healing processes whether it be recovering from laser eye surgery or a cut knee.
You can clean your glasses with dish detergent
You don’t need special lens cleaning fluid for your glasses, humble dish detergent does the job just as well. With clean hands, first rinse your glasses under lukewarm water then lightly rub one or two drops of detergent onto the lenses and frames with your fingertips. Rinse off the detergent and dry with a microfibre cloth. Make sure to do this regularly to avoid buildup of bacterias that can cause problems such as conjunctivitis and styes.
If you have questions on any eye health myths, call us to book a free consultation to discuss whether laser eye surgery or cataract surgery can help you.