Photo by CC user maikelnai on Flickr

Your eyes are important, but did you know there are various ways you could be damaging them without even realising? To help you keep your vision in check so you can see all the amazing things that are out there in the world, here are three surprising ways you could be harming your eyes…

Failing to look after your lenses properly

If you’re a contact lens wearer, you may already be familiar with the cleaning process each time you insert or remove them from your eyes, particularly if you use one or two-monthly lenses. Over time, you might be tempted to skimp on this regime to save time. However, failing to look after your lenses properly could be putting your eye health and vision at risk. Taking the time to rinse your contacts gets rid of any debris, bacteria and protein buildup, so by skipping this essential step, you’re putting yourself at a much higher risk of contracting an infection. Also, your lenses are more likely to feel uncomfortable and irritating when you’re wearing them.

If you’re struggling to keep up with your cleaning routine, you could swap your extended wear lenses for daily disposables instead. These can be worn once and then discarded, eliminating the need to care for them in between uses. To stock up on these lenses, you could speak to your optician or visit an online specialist. Bear in mind that to make your life simpler, you can buy in bulk For example, you can purchase up to a year’s supply of Acuvue lenses from Feel Good Contact Lenses, meaning you don’t need to worry about running out.

Forgetting to wear your sunglasses

It’s no secret that the sun’s rays can be extremely harmful to your skin, but did you know it can be equally damaging to your eye health too? Looking at it directly can lead to sun damage – otherwise known as solar retinopathy. The strong radiation from the sun can permanently injure the back of your eye, causing damage similar to that of a scar or burn. To keep your eye health in check, it’s crucial that you avoid looking at the sun, and you should always wear sunglasses when you’re out and about in the sunshine. To ensure your eyes are fully protected, you should make sure the pair you go for are good quality and carry the ‘CE’ mark. This lets you know that the sunglasses offer a suitable and safe level of protection from ultraviolet rays.

Looking at a computer screen for long periods of time

Not only can sitting in front of a computer screen wreak havoc on your posture and back health, but it can damage your eyes too. When you’re using a computer, you often blink less and may find that you focus on one spot for a long time. While this combination is unlikely to cause any lasting damage, your eyes can feel strained and uncomfortable, and you may experience dryness too. To avoid this, you should aim to take regular breaks away from your workstation, especially if your eyes start to feel tired and sore. You could also try using the 20-20-20 rule – every 20 minutes, you should avert your eyes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to help keep your eyes feeling fresh and healthy.

If you’re careful to avoid making these mistakes, you shouldn’t struggle to care for your peepers.