“Dispelling Myths and Revealing Truths about Eye Health”

As there is a saying that 10 nyang of the body is 9 nyang of the eyes, the eyes are very important for maintaining health. However, in real life, eye care is often neglected. Incorrect information often ruins one’s eyesight. Recently, the New York Times (NYT) reported nine truths and myths about vision.

1. It is not good to look closely at books or electronic devices (O)
Our eyes are not designed to focus on nearby objects for long periods of time. Focusing on a nearby object for a long time, especially in childhood, can cause myopia by elongating the eyeball. Experts recommend the 20-20-20 rule. After reading a book for 20 minutes, look at a place at least 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for 20 seconds.

2. Reading in the dark worsens eyesight (X)
If the lighting is too dim and you have to bring your eyes too close to the book or tablet, it can cause blurred vision, headaches, and poor concentration, as described above. However, it has nothing to do with deteriorating eyesight unless you are looking at it up close.

3. Spending More Time Outdoors Helps Your Vision (O)
There are studies that suggest that outdoor activities reduce the risk of developing myopia. Bright sunlight stimulates the production of dopamine in the retina, which can prevent eyeball lengthening.

4. Too much UV light hurts your eyesight (O)
Experts say that too much exposure to ultraviolet A and B rays causes irreversible damage to the retina, including the risk of cataracts. Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses, eyeglasses, and contact lenses can help.

5. Taking a break from wearing glasses can prevent your eyesight from getting worse (X)
Sometimes people refuse to wear glasses, thinking that they will make their eyesight worse. Experts say this is not the case and if you need glasses you should wear them.

6. Even a little bit of blue light from the screen is harmful to the eyes (X)
Although some studies have shown that exposure to blue light can damage the retina and potentially cause vision problems over time, experts say there is no definitive evidence that this occurs with normal exposure. According to this, there is no evidence that wearing blue light blocking glasses is helpful for eye health. However, looking at the screen itself can be bad for your eyesight, such as causing dry eyes.

7. Smoking is bad for your eyes (O)
Studies have linked smoking to age-related eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Toxic chemicals from tobacco are known to enter the bloodstream and damage sensitive tissues in the eye, including the retina, lens, and macula.

8. Carrots are good for the eyes (O)
A diet rich in carrots won’t give you perfect vision, but there is evidence that the nutrients in carrots are good for eye health. A large clinical trial found that nutrients found in carrots, including beta-carotene and antioxidants like vitamins C and E, could slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration. A diet rich in antioxidants doesn’t necessarily prevent eye disease, but it may help people with early macular degeneration, experts believe.

9. Poor eyesight is an inevitable result of aging (X)
Age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma can be prevented or treated if detected early. If your eyesight is weakened, don’t ignore ‘just aging’ and see an optometrist or an ophthalmologist to get a chance to avoid the disease.