If You Want to Use Your Smartphone Longer... Avoid Using It in a Dark Room (Lee Jin-kyung's Health Tips)

Unexpected Habits That Damage Your Eyes

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-kyung Lee] It is said that the number of people experiencing vision deterioration and various eye diseases due to unconscious harmful habits threatening eye health is increasing. Once vision worsens, it is quite difficult to recover. Since our eyes are essential organs that read a lot of information and are indispensable in daily life, taking good care of eye health is very important. Although it may not seem to have a significant impact immediately, let’s look at habits that can eventually cause eye diseases or vision deterioration if sustained for a long time and take time to protect our eye health.

● Habit of frequently rubbing the eyes

Some people habitually rub their eyes when they feel dry, tired, sleepy, or itchy. Frequently rubbing the eyes can cause scratches on the cornea, and the cornea may gradually thin and become cone-shaped, leading to keratoconus. If this rubbing habit continues for a long time, the cornea can weaken and deform, causing 'corneal warpage,' so caution is needed. Moreover, stimulating the muscles of the upper eyelid can cause the delicate skin tissue to stretch easily, resulting in drooping eyelids or ptosis. Additionally, since our hands carry various bacteria, rubbing the eyes with dirty hands can introduce bacteria into the eyes, causing various inflammations, so care is necessary.

● Habit of reading books or using smartphones inside a moving car

The pupil of our eyes functions unconsciously to constantly provide a clear image. Especially when looking at a smartphone or reading a book inside a moving car, the ciliary muscles of the eyes are heavily used to continuously focus on the shaking objects. Excessive and continuous use of the ciliary muscles like this can cause eye fatigue, dry eyes, and headaches, and in severe cases, eye pain. Therefore, rather than focusing on a specific screen inside a shaking car, looking at distant scenery such as mountains or the sky helps reduce eye fatigue.

● Habit of mishandling contact lenses

Many people wear contact lenses instead of glasses, but since lenses directly touch the eyes, it is very important to learn and follow proper usage methods. Wearing lenses for a long time blocks oxygen to the eyes for an extended period, which can cause dry eyes, so wearing them all day should be avoided. When removing lenses, the cornea can be damaged or bacterial infections can easily occur, so hands must be thoroughly cleaned before removal. Wearing lenses while showering, in baths, or swimming pools is also risky because microorganisms and bacteria in the water can easily adhere to the lenses. For reusable lenses, cleaning and storing after use is important; careless cleaning or storing in dirty places can lead to bacterial growth, so caution is needed.

● Habit of not wearing sunglasses

Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays without wearing sunglasses increases the risk of cataracts, vision decline, and eye tumors. Continuous exposure to sunlight can also cause photokeratitis, a burn on the cornea and conjunctiva. This can lead to blurred vision, pain, and rarely temporary vision loss, so wearing sunglasses is important to protect eye health. If wearing sunglasses daily is difficult, at least wear them when going outside on sunny days like in spring and summer. Also, people who drive for long hours daily are continuously exposed to UV rays, so wearing sunglasses while driving regardless of the season is recommended.

● Habit of looking at monitors for long periods

Generally, modern people look at monitors or smartphones for more than 8 hours a day. When focusing on screens for a long time, blinking decreases, causing eyes to dry out and become fatigued easily. This can induce dry eyes and make it easier for various bacteria to invade, potentially damaging the eye surface and leading to eye redness and vision deterioration. Looking at smartphones closely for a long time reduces the tension of the ciliary muscles that adjust the lens thickness, which can cause presbyopia even at a young age. Since it is impossible to avoid looking at monitors entirely, taking breaks is recommended to protect eye health. Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for more than 20 seconds, blink frequently to relieve fatigue. Occasionally placing a warm towel over the eyes to relax them is also a good method to maintain eye health.

● Avoid reading books or using smartphones in dark places

Many people look at smartphones in a dark room with the lights off before sleeping. In dark places, the pupils naturally dilate, and looking at small screens or monitors for a long time in this state increases eye fatigue, reduces the elasticity of the lens, deteriorates vision, and raises intraocular pressure. If this habit is repeated frequently and for long periods, eye diseases may develop. Therefore, it is advised to refrain from looking at smartphones right before sleeping or immediately after waking up, and if the room is dark, always turn on the light when reading books or looking at monitors.

● Habit of not applying sunscreen on the eyelids

Many people avoid or forget to apply sunscreen around the eyes and on the eyelids because it stings. However, since the eyelid skin is like the forehead or cheeks, prolonged exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of skin cancer. Therefore, if the eyelid skin is sensitive, it is recommended to use sunscreen products that cause less stinging or those containing mineral ingredients such as zinc or titanium dioxide.

● Habit of avoiding eye exercises and overall body exercise

Consistently doing light exercise for 15 to 30 minutes a day helps prevent diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions that can cause eye diseases. For example, diabetes affects the blood vessels in the retina, causing diabetic retinopathy, and hypertension or high cholesterol accompanying diabetes can worsen this condition. Therefore, lack of exercise can lead to chronic diseases, so maintaining a regular exercise habit is beneficial. If there is a risk of glaucoma or macular degeneration, strength training or swimming that increases intraocular or abdominal pressure should be avoided. Frequent eye exercises are also good as they lower intraocular pressure, relieve eye fatigue, and prevent glaucoma. It is recommended to blink about 15 times per minute and perform focusing exercises by looking at a near distance of 30 cm for 15 seconds and a far distance over 5 meters for 10 seconds. This relaxes eye muscles and helps prevent and alleviate presbyopia and vision deterioration.

● Unhealthy eating habits lacking vegetable and fruit intake

If you do not regularly eat fresh vegetables and fruits, this is a bad habit that harms eye health. Eating vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, essential fatty acids, zinc, lutein, and zeaxanthin frequently lowers the risk of age-related vision decline and cataracts. Therefore, it is important to eat vegetables and fruits well, especially those rich in vitamin A that benefit eye health, such as blueberries, carrots, strawberries, and spinach. Also, sufficient water intake keeps the eye surface moist and reduces eye fatigue, so developing a habit of drinking lukewarm water frequently is recommended.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.