Debunking Eye Myths*

How many times have you heard someone tell you something about your eyes or your vision that made you scratch your head? Something that you've heard a thousand times and always wondered about? Us too!

Let's look at a couple and see how they stack up to reality:

1) "Don't sit so close to the TV; you'll ruin your eyes!"

FALSE! It turns out that this one was never true. There has never really been anything harmful coming out of a TV screen, at least as far as your eyes go. People have been sitting closer to the TV for decades just to see better. Kids have a natural tendency to do this. It doesn't necessarily mean that you need glasses, and sitting closer definitely won't hurt your eyes or your eyesight. Cable TV might rot your brain...

2) "Don't read in the dark; it'll make your eyes weak!"

FALSE! Reading in dark or dim light just makes reading harder, but it doesn't do any harm to your eyes or your vision. Heck, Abe Lincoln used to read by candlelight as a kid, and HE turned out alright!

3) "If you wear your reading glasses you'll just need to wear them more."

TRUE and FALSE. Once you hit your 40's almost everyone starts to lose the ability to focus up close due to a combination of hardening of the lens in your eye and decreased strength in your focusing muscles. You will need more help with reading glasses or bifocals in time no matter what, but fighting against them by forcing yourself to focus can make you need them a little less for a little longer. Use 'em or don't, whichever makes you more comfortable.

4) "Give your eyes a break, you're gonna wear them out!"

FALSE. Your eyes are different from a muscle like your biceps. You can't wear them out. Go ahead and use them!

5) "If you don't stop it, you'll go blind".

WHOA! Wait a minute. This is a PG-rated blog! :-)

*Props to Dr. Carey Silverman for the idea.