12 things that may be damaging your eyesight

To take care of your body, you avoid junk food, eat your vegetables and make sure to get your daily exercise in when possible. But what do you do to take care of your eyes? And what habits could be hazardous to your eyes later in life?

A recent article in Men’s Health revealed six things that may be damaging your eyesight, without you even realizing it:

1. Too much screen time
2. Stress
3. Reading too close to your face
4. Physical accidents like a fall or athletic injury
5. A lack of leafy greens in your diet
6. Smoking and obesity

“Those are all absolutely factors in eye health,” says Dr. Harold Sy, an ophthalmologist at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. “People often don’t realize that some of the same lifestyle choices that affect your body’s overall health can also have a direct impact on eye function.”

But those aren’t the only everyday activities that could be detrimental to your vision. Dr. Sy adds the following six habits to the list of hazards:

1. Touching or rubbing your eyes unnecessarily
2. Not getting enough sleep
3. Exposing your eyes to the sun for long periods of time without sunglasses
4. Wearing contacts to bed
5. Leaving eye makeup on overnight
6. Skipping your regular eye exams

“These common risks can be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle, using products such as glasses, contacts and eye drops as recommended by your eye health professional and wearing sunglasses or safety glasses when needed,” says Dr. Sy. “In addition, things such as warm compresses to the eyes twice per day and lid scrubs – shampooing the eyelids with baby shampoo or over-the-counter eye lid shampoo – can also be beneficial.”

If you notice problems with your vision or anything unusual, you should contact your eye health professional.