Five More Eye Myths

Here’s another batch of vision-related misconceptions to avoid.

A few months ago, we released a blog post on eye myths and the reasons for their mythical status. Since we only brushed the surface of that topic, we’ve decided to create a much-needed follow-up. So here are five more eye myths that mislead their believers – even to the point of harming their health.

Myth #1 – Crossing Your Eyes Can Make Them Stuck
This myth is famous as a popular piece of parental advice. Strabismus, or crossed eyes, is a muscular dysfunction, meaning a person can’t develop the condition by simply moving their eyes in a particular direction.

Myth #2 – Reading in Dim Light Is Harmful to Your Eyes
Another common myth is that reading under low lighting can damage your vision. Although you may experience a little eyestrain, your sight will not be permanently affected. Think about it – people have been reading for hundreds of years, way before electricity became commonplace. If reading in dim light caused our eyesight to deteriorate, then our ancestors would’ve been as blind as bats.

Myth #3 – Eye Exercises Can Improve Your Vision
When some people hear the term ‘eye exercises’, they assume the benefit of doing them is to improve one’s eyesight. Eye exercises are great for relaxing your eye muscles and can help some eye alignment problems, but they will not improve any refractive error—myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism.

Myth #4 – People Who Are Color Blind See in Black and White
Color blindness is known for causing confusion, partly because of the name—color deficient is a better description. Many people interpret the term as meaning the absence of color except for a spectrum between black and white. In reality, the form of color blindness in which a person only sees the world in shades of gray is extremely rare. The most common form is red-green color blindness, which makes it hard to distinguish between those two colors.

Myth #5 – Sun Gazing Benefits Your Health
Sun gazing is the act of staring directly at the sun as a meditative, spiritual, or religious practice. This is one of the worst things you can do for your vision, as prolonged exposure to the sun’s radiation can lead to retinal damage, eye cancer, and even blindness. Never look right at the sun, and protect your eyes from UV light by wearing sunglasses whenever you go outside.

The best protection against these and other myths is regular consultation with eye care professionals. Our team at Sterling Vision is composed of some of the most experienced optometrists in the field who can help you avoid harming your vision due to misinformation. To schedule an appointment with us, call 541-262-0597 or schedule online.