The #1 Worst Habit for Your Eye Health, According to Ophthalmologists

Emily Laurence
·4 min read
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As we age, it becomes more important to prioritize healthy bones, heart health and brain health. But it’s important not to neglect caring for your vision too. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable that our vision will get worse as we age.

“Our eyes' lenses become less flexible as we get older, making it more challenging to focus on close-up objects, such as a book or a digital device, which results in the need for reading glasses," explains Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist and founder of twenty/twenty beauty. "This will continue as we age, making it necessary to regularly adjust our prescriptions."

Dr. Hilal Campo adds that, as we age, the risk for sight-threatening diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts also increases. “These may not be prevented, but you can reduce the risk of developing them,” she says. In fact, there are common habits that greatly increase the risk of these diseases. Keep reading to find out what they are, including the worst one of all.

Related: You've Heard About Carrots, but What Else? 7 Foods You Should Eat To Keep Your Eyes Healthy 

The Number One Worst Habit for Eye Health

According to Dr. Sandra Brown, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist and a medical advisor for the Dry Eye Foundation, the absolute worst habit for eye health is using tobacco. While many people know about the link between tobacco use and heart health, not many people know that smoking or vaping can damage your eyes.

“Smoking tobacco increases your risk of macular degeneration by about 400 percent and cataracts by approximately 300 percent,” Dr. Brown says. This is because using tobacco damages vital parts of the eyes needed to see, including the retina (which lines the inside of the eye), lens (the clear part of the eye that allows light to pass the retina and helps with focus) and macula (which is important for sharp vision).

Related: Keep Your Eyes Healthy With These Common Vision Changes

If you use tobacco or smoke, know that it's not just limited to cigarette use—if you vape, even if you're not vaping tobacco, that can be problematic as the smoke itself can damage your eyes.

One literary review on the impact of vaping on ocular health revealed: "Aldehydes and free radicals present in electronic cigarettes may induce a disturbance in tear film stability, and vape flavorings may damage the lipid layer through peroxidation." That's not including corneal staining and other eye health concerns as well.

Some signs that it is impacting your vision include experiencing cloudy vision, noticing that colors don’t seem as bright, having a sensitivity to light, trouble seeing at night, or double vision. If you are experiencing any of these vision problems, it’s important to book an appointment with an eye doctor to discuss treatment and ways to prevent your vision from further deteriorating.

Related: Eggs Are Actually Great for Your Vision—Here's How Many You Should Eat Weekly

Other Common Habits That Negatively Impact Eye Health

Smoking isn’t the only common habit that can negatively impact vision. Dr. Hilal-Campo says that certain types of eye makeup can irritate the eyes, increasing the risk of infection and scarring. She says that some products contain toxic chemicals that can be dangerous if they come into contact with the eyes’ surface. She recommends looking for eye makeup that is ophthalmologist-approved to reduce this risk.

Dr. Hilal-Campo says that how eye makeup is applied could negatively impact vision too. For example, she says that using eyeliner on the waterline can increase the risk for infection as well as block little orifices of the meibomian glands, which are found in the eyelids and secrete oil that protects against microbial agents and organic matter that could damage the eyes. “This can cause permanent damage to the glands, resulting in chronic dry, irritated red eyes with fluctuating vision, and can also result in permanent corneal damage,” Dr. Hilal-Campo says.

Both ophthalmologists say that too much screen time can also negatively affect vision. “Although high screen time may be job-related, many people accumulate as much, if not more, screen time using their smartphones,” Dr. Brown says. She explains that looking at a lighted screen decreases natural blinking, which allows rapid evaporation of tears. “This is creating an epidemic of early-onset dry eye disease,” she says. “Dry eye disease may affect every aspect of someone's life, including enjoying ordinary activities such as reading and outdoor sports. Sometimes, it becomes incapacitating, leading to job loss, depression and significant financial hardship.”

Last, both ophthalmologists say that not wearing sunglasses when outside is also bad for eye health. Dr. Brown recommends wearing them even on overcast days. “Ultraviolet light has been shown to increase the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. It can also damage the cornea and the conjunctiva, which is the clear skin overlying the white wall of the eye,” she says.

You may not be able to prevent your vision from getting worse as you age, but there is still a lot you can do to protect your eyes and lower your risk from sight-threatening diseases. That’s something scientific studies have made it clear to see!

Next up, here are five facts you should know about your eyes.

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