From excessive eye-rubbing to binge-watching TV shows, we share everyday actions that damage your eyes and what you can do instead.
We don’t realise how important our eyes are until we get a piece of debris stuck in there or suffer from an eye infection. The discomfort and irritation puts a strain on our day. Yet we disregard them by doing things that may cause damage to our eyes in the long run. When it comes to protecting our peepers, don’t just eyeball it. Here, we call out five things we do daily that damage our eyes and how we can combat them. For those who wear glasses and are in need of an upgrade, read on to find out more about an excellent new range of spectacles.
5 everyday things that damage your eyesight and how to combat it
1. Vitamin D is good but excessive sun exposure? Not so much
You’ve got your sunscreen for face and body down pat, but what about your precious peepers? Prolonged exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays can cause premature ageing and damage to your eyes and the skin around them.
A quick fix: Wear sunglasses or spectacles with UV protection for a layer of protection whenever the sun’s shining bright.
2. Hours of screen time is a major red flag
The one’s a no-brainer. With more of us working from home and simply being glued to our mobile phones, screen time has drastically increased. We might not realise this but prolonged screen time causes us to blink less and reduces the rate of tear production – which leads to dry and tired eyes. And don’t get us started on harmful blue light! Excessive exposure to it can cause eye strain.
A quick fix: Take more eye breaks and use blue light protection for your screens and even spectacles or lenses.
3. Rubbing your eyes like nobody’s watching
Sometimes the urge to rub our tired or irritated eyes can be too much and finally we cave in. But is it worth it? Not at all. Excessive rubbing of your eyes means spreading bacteria deeper (especially if you’ve not washed your hands!).
It can also lead to keratoconus: a condition that thins the structure of the cornea and causes it to lose its shape. The skin around your eyes is fragile, so excessive rubbing can break the vessels.
A quick fix: The next time your eyes feel itchy, invest in eye drops to clean your eyes and flush out all the debris.
4. Not cleaning your glasses regularly and properly
Our spectacle-wearing friends may be guilty of this but it’s more common than you think. Your glasses are more or less a layer of protection for your eyes, guarding you against dust, dirt, and debris. So not giving your lenses a good, regular clean makes it a hotspot for bacteria to thrive around your eye area. Not removing debris or smudges on your lenses also affects visibility (causing eye strain) and results in damaged lenses.
A quick fix: Bring out a small microfibre cloth to wipe smudges or dirt on the go. But if you want to give it a good clean, wash your lenses with an eyeglass cleaner or lens cleaning solution. Alternatively, you can purchase a pair of glasses with an anti-bacterial coating (more on this later!).
5. Skipping your eye exam – and regular checkups
Okay, this one’s not an everyday mistake but it’s just as important. Do you see yourself squinting at your computer screen or at things from afar? Or maybe your current glasses aren’t as clear as they used to be. It’s time for an eye exam! 20/20 vision or not, our eyesight deteriorates over the years. Getting your eyes checked can detect early signs of detect vision problems and eye diseases. Who knows, you might need to get a new pair of spectacles – and it’s not a bad thing at all.
A quick fix: Aside from going for annual eye checkups, proper eye care and hygiene go a long way.
Keep your eyes protected with Hoya’s Full Control lens
Now that we’ve got a clearer vision of the no-nos, perhaps it’s becoming evident that you need a new pair of spectacles. Look no further than Hoya Lens and its Full Control lenses that protect you from all the nasties.
For starters, Hoya’s Hi-Vision LongLife coating is a premium multi-layer lens that’s oil- and water-repellent, anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, dust-repellent and durable. So you don’t have to worry about pesky scratches and other annoyances.
Nowadays, you can’t get a pair of glasses without blue light protection. Hoya’s BlueControl coating reduces harmful blue light, minimises glare from digital screens and enhances contrast perception to improve clarity and colour. But most importantly, it also helps prevent eye strain and fatigue.
And let’s not forget the sun! We love a little vitamin D but the sun’s glaring UV rays can cause serious damage to our eyes. Hoya’s UV Control coating offers 100% UV and UVB protection on both the front and back of the lenses. This gives an extra layer of protection to prevent UV ageing, damaging of the eyes, or worst – UV-related eye disorders and diseases.
And finally, the coating you never knew you needed – Hi-Vision Anti-bacterial. The anti-bacterial coating has silver ions (AG+) that reduces bacterial growth by at least 99.9%. bacterial growth. It’s applied on the front and back of the lenses for extra protection. It’s also certified by ISO and SIAA’s standards (The Society of International Sustaining Growth for Antimicrobial Articles) for its quality and effectiveness.
We love how Full Control lenses consist of the following Hoya coating products:
Hi-Vision LongLife, BlueControl, UV Control and Hi-Vision Anti-bacterial. How’s that for a one-stop solution? So, the next time you catch yourself rubbing your eyes or postponing your next spectacle purchase, think of the long-term effects your eyes might suffer from. Look to Hoya Lens for all your eyecare needs!
This post is in partnership with Hoya.