Many people are unaware that their daily lifestyle habits may have adverse effects on their vision. Maintaining good eye health involves practicing good optical hygiene as well as monitoring your relationship with technology. Here are four routines that may change your vision.

How Your Daily Routines May Affect Your Eye Health

1. Using Screens Before Bedtime

Many types of technology, like cell phones and tablets, use blue lights. Staring at these screens in bed may disrupt your natural circadian rhythm, tricking the brain into thinking it’s daylight. Skip screens for two or three hours before bed to prevent technology from affecting your sleep. 

2. Wearing Contacts to Bed

It’s tempting to go straight to sleep when you’re tired, but you need to remove your contact. Wearing these vision aids to bed may cause an eye infection by trapping bacteria between the lens and the eye. Wash your hands and remove the contacts before rinsing reusable ones and storing them in a case with a contact solution. Toss one-day lenses in the garbage once they’ve fulfilled their use.

3. Not Taking Breaks

Watching movies and TV shows require your eyes to process fast-moving images. This may lead to dry eye or blurriness because the lids close infrequently. Take a break every 20 minutes to blink normally and even rest your eyes briefly. This pause will help restore the natural eye lubrication that is critical for optimal vision.

4. Not Wearing Safety Eyewear

Sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement; they also protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. Look for pairs that feature polarized lenses to block glare and have UVA and UVB protection to block out harmful sunlight. Also, don snow goggles in the winter and safety glasses when working with flying particles and chemicals to prevent eye injuries.

If you’re interested in getting a checkup on your vision health, contact Eric G. Stocker, OD in Lorain County, OH. The practice offers high-tech diagnostic services for eye screenings and treatments for cataracts, glaucoma, corneal disease, and other eye issues. Call the Amherst-area vision experts at (440) 988-4419 or visit the website for information on their weekly hours.