The gift of sight is precious. But, we indulge in a lot of bad habits on a daily basis that tend to cause premature ageing of our eyes from inside and outside
We all have a mix of good and bad habits, don’t we? While the good habits will help you lead a healthier as well as happier life, the bad ones tend to cause harm. But, most of us don’t even realise the damage that it is causing until the discomfort escalates to the level of a major problem. Even in case of our eyes, we unthinkingly indulge in several bad habits that are counterproductive to the overall health and well-being of our vision. In fact, these bad habits are actually catalysing the ageing process of your eyes- from inside as well as outside!
In adverse cases, the damage comes to your notice only after it has been completely done. Therefore, being a little more careful can help you rectify your habits and retain the youthfulness of the region around your eye as well as the accuracy your vision in the later life.
Here is a brief preview of the common habits that are responsible for the premature ageing of your eyes and should be avoided:
–Rubbing your eyes: Rubbing the eyes every now and then is a common habit. But this is wrong. The skin around your eyes is very sensitive. When you unknowingly rub your eyes out of habit, you run the risk of damaging the tiny blood vessels that lie just below the surface. On being ruptured, these blood vessels can cause problems like dark circles, puffy eyes, as well as premature crow’s feet and drooping eyelids. While there is surgery available to reverse such signs of ageing, it is best advised to stop tugging at the skin around your eyes. If your eyes get too itchy, resist the temptation to rub and simply soothe them with a cold compress.
–Avoiding sunglasses: A lot of people think that sunglasses are just a fashion accessory. However, this is a misconception.Sunglasses are a necessity because they help in protecting your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun which also includes UV radiation. From causing sunburn to cataracts and even cancer, extended exposure to sun is dangerous. The protection offered by sunglasses is vital as it helps slow down the ageing process of the eyes.
-Smoking: Smoking is known to harm every organ of the body and eyes are no exception to this rule. For example, those who smoke are always at a higher risk of developing a serious eye condition earlier in their life as compared to their non-smoking counterparts. It is also known to cause sight-threatening diseases such as cataracts, dry eyes and diabetic retinopathy that lead to the internal ageing of the eye and therefore weaken your ability to see.
–Eating junk food: Even your eyes need nutritious food to slow down the process of ageing and preserve your vision. If you are a junk food freak, you will end up paying the price by sacrificing the accuracy of your vision at an earlier stage in your life. The thumb rule to follow is that you must stick to a diet rich in leafy greens, colourful fruit and vegetables, as well as wild-caught fish such as salmon to avoid age related disorders in your eye.
-Not sleeping enough: If you are nightowl fond of keeping awake till the wee hours, it’s bad news for your eyes. Staying awake for longer durations of time or not getting enough shut-eye time, accelerates the ageing process and your eyes are the first ones to be affected. It all starts with red, bloodshot eyes and gradually escalates to dry eyes, twitching and even blurry vision.
-Not hydrating your body: When your skin lacks moisture, it starts to get wrinkled. Even in case of your eyes, if there is a lack of moisture content in the eye, you are most likely to experience dryness, redness and puffy eyelids, all of which are symptoms of ageing of your eye from within. This is because the eye is unable to produce sufficient amount of tears to maintain optimum moisture level. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water in a day can help you avoid such problems.
-Reading or writing in poor light: Reading or writing in poor lighting is not advisable. You may be able to see but it is surely straining the muscles in your eye unnecessarily. Gradually, this strain is capable of increasing the momentum of the ageing process of the eye from within.
-Using poor quality makeup: We all rely on makeup to hide the signs of premature ageing. But, did you know that not using the right type of cosmetics can actually accelerate the ageing process especially in the region surrounding your eye. Nevertheless, not all the less expensive makeup is bad for your eyes. However, there are certain brands that use ingredients which could cause harm to the sensitive skin around your eyes making you look older. Such options are best avoided.
-Not visiting the ophthalmologist regularly: Regular eye exams are pivotal to maintaining a healthy vision as they help to identify and treat vision problems at an early stage. Ideally, you should get your eyes examined once in every six months.
