Growing up in Orlando, I heard of quite a few wives tales about my eyesight. My Mother’s favorite, ‘If you continue to sit so close to the television it will hurt your eyes’, and ‘If you keep crossing your eyes they will stay like that’. There are hundreds of these types of sayings, but which ones are facts?

Does sitting too close to the TV really hurt your eyes?

children-403582_1920Though sitting close to the TV may not hurt your eyes, it may be an indication of nearsightedness.

If I keep crossing my eyes, they will stay like that.

Though crossing your eyes may give you a headache, they won’t get stuck that way. There is a condition called strabismus, that can make a child eyes look like they are crossed, this does not go away by itself and should be addressed with an eye doctor.

My friend told be my sensitivity to light may be caused by the artificial sweetener I use.

This is a fact, certain artificial sweeteners, such as cyclamates, and medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, as well as antibiotics, diuretics, and oral contraceptives, can all cause light sensitivity.

Looking into the sun can cause eye damage

The Sun’s ultraviolet light is so intense, it has been known to cause blindness. It is also linked to several eye disorders, macular degeneration, corneal dystrophy, and solar retinitis.

During a solar eclipse is the worst time to look directly into the sun. Your retina is more exposed to the dangerous rays because the light spectrum responsible for making your pupils smaller is blocked.

Reading in low or dim light can damage your eyes.

Though it may strain or make you feel tired, it does not hurt your eyes.

Out of all of our senses, sight is probably the one we count on the most. We need our eyes in every facet of our daily lives. It’s important to develop a relationship with an eye doctor before you start having vision problems, many eye diseases or issues can be successfully treated if detected early. Experts recommend having your eyes examined on a regular basis to keep them healthy. If you haven’t seen the eye doctor in a while contact Lake Nona Eye Care.