When it comes to eye health there are a good number of myths floating around. Some of them actually make quite a bit of sense, however there they actually have no real basis in reality. There are, of course, some that may, under certain circumstances be considered to be true.
Myth 1
There is a good chance that growing up, your parents told you to eat your carrots because it would help you to see in the dark. Carrots are actually a fantastic source of vitamin A, something that is very important for your eyes. However, there is little evidence to suggest that eating plenty of carrots will actually help you to see in the dark, rather that it will help with your overall eye health. In order to maintain good health a well balanced diet, including vegetables like carrots, is a good idea. Overconsumption of any type of food substance, including those that are considered healthy.
Myth 2
Sadly one of the most common myths surrounding eye care and one that we are all too familiar with here at RWoodfall, is that people believe the only time you should have an eye test is when you have a problem with your vision. Unfortunately, many eye issues rarely show their symptoms until they become more serious. By the time this happens, and you make an appointment to see someone it can be too late. Regular eye tests (the recommendation is every two years) can help to spot issues with your eyes before they develop into something more serious. Eye tests can also help to spot some of the early symptoms of other health issues as well. So if you haven’t had an eye test for a while it is worth checking up on your eye health.
Myth 3
Another one you may well have heard in childhood is that sitting too close to the television screen can damage your eyes. This may once have been the case when the initial home television sets contained cathode ray tubes that had the potential to damage and irradiate the eye. However, modern television sets do not have the same effect.
The truth in this one is that straining to watch the television for long periods of time can cause the eye muscles to become strained and tired and this can have an effect on your vision. With a little rest, it is possible to improve this.
Myth 4
Reading has also been blamed for problems with eyesight over the years. The origin of the myth that reading too much can harm your eyes has much to do with the fact that many of those people who read a lot of books often wore glasses, and so the two were linked. It is true that reading for long periods of time or in poor light can cause eye strain however this is as far as the myth goes. Reading for long periods of time is the same as the television. It can cause headaches and eyestrain but there is no possibility that overusing your eyes in this way can actually damage them. It just makes them very tired and the best way to correct this is to let your eyes have a rest.
Myth 5
Possibly the weirdest myth of all is that if you go to bed with wet hair, it will make you go blind. There is absolutely no truth in this one at all, it won’t even give you eye strain! It is thought that this is a myth started by parents who didn’t want damp bedding!