| Currently the US population is about 300 million people, | | | | protected from those damaging rays. In fact it is |
| 75% of them, or about 225 million people wear | | | | usually the most common situation where the sun's |
| corrective lenses whether they are glasses or contact | | | | damage takes place. I will also mention that it is crucial |
| lenses. That is an extremely high number, especially | | | | for you to wear eye protection when tanning. Closing |
| when compared to the statistics of 1980 where only | | | | your eyes does not stop the UV damage and in fact it |
| 50% of the people wore glasses. That's a 50% | | | | is usually much worse because most of the time when |
| increase in just 30 years. Why is our eyesight getting | | | | we tan with our eyes closed, we lay in the direct rays |
| worse and worse? Many are born with a less than | | | | of the sun or tanning machines, causing serious |
| perfect sphere for an eyeball and this is definitely a | | | | damage, much more than if we face away from sun. |
| common reason for eye sight issues. The only known | | | | As if there were not enough reasons to quit smoking |
| method to correct this problem is Lasik eye surgery; | | | | tobacco. Smoking is the number three cause of loss |
| other than glasses and contact lenses, of course. | | | | of clear vision in America. Smoking cigarettes causes |
| However there are other things that we do that will | | | | macular degeneration which is a problem where the |
| cause this less than perfect vision. We will look at the | | | | part of our eye that sends the signals that it receives |
| top 5 reasons for this real concern and how to keep it | | | | to the brain degenerates and less and less of the |
| from getting worse. | | | | signal gets sent to the brain so our eye sight becomes |
| Focused staring is the number one reason for the loss | | | | poor. There is little else to say here except quit |
| of vision in America and most likely around the world. | | | | smoking, we all now know how horrible it is for us. This |
| What does that mean? When you stare at something | | | | also includes snuff and chewing tobacco. |
| your eyes blink about 3 times slower than normal. So | | | | Injury to the eye is the fourth reason for loss of vision |
| when you are watching TV, a movie at a theater, your | | | | in America. It can be injured in a work environment |
| computer screen, reading a book or staring at many | | | | with certain chemical gasses being in the air or pieces |
| other things, your eyes become dry and this creates | | | | of debris flying into your eyes. It can be injured by |
| damage to your eyes over time. There are things you | | | | contact sports with improper protection. A tackle |
| can do to reduce the problem, other than avoiding | | | | without a helmet can cause very serious and likely to |
| these activities all together. When watching TV, take | | | | be permanent damage to the eye. Damage by |
| breaks during commercials. That doesn't mean to | | | | fireworks and camp fire, specifically the sparks that fly |
| stare at your computer screen during commercial | | | | out of the fireworks and camp fire can be the most |
| breaks. Perhaps playing a hand or two with playing | | | | dangerous kind because it happens so fast that even |
| cards, it would the best if you could get a game that | | | | your eye lids may not have time to react. Then by the |
| requires physical activity like play a game of ping pong, | | | | time that you can get to a hospital the damage is |
| foosball, etc. a Nintendo WII would not help here; | | | | permanent and beyond repair. The only thing that can |
| maybe get some fresh air outside; you can call | | | | prevent this from happening is keeping a far away |
| someone, etc. Watching a movie at a theater is | | | | enough distance from the source of danger. You must |
| different. There are a few things you can do. You can | | | | also be vigilant in making sure that such fireworks are |
| buy the "tears" eyedrops, not the "get rid of the red" | | | | far enough away from children, which could be a |
| ones. Use that throughout your movie. Try to glance | | | | difficult task since kids are usually very excited about |
| around the theater every once in a while. Maybe force | | | | fireworks and insist on playing with them. |
| yourself to take that annoying bathroom break during | | | | Infections cause conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, |
| a slow part of the movie. You may have to get | | | | and they can do damage to the eye and in severe |
| creative here but find something to do that doesn't | | | | cases even cause serious damage. Pink eye is a |
| require you to stare at one unmoving object. Perhaps | | | | condition where a bacterial or a viral bug transfers to |
| go to a play theater. You can apply these principles to | | | | your eyes, most likely through using a towel or bedding |
| your computer time, reading time, etc. A random fact, | | | | that belongs to someone else. This is one of the |
| there is no evidence to suggest that reading in a | | | | reasons why we are told to not share towels, razors, |
| darker causes any more damage than reading in a | | | | and other personal items. If you do get infected you will |
| well-lit room. | | | | need to go to a doctor to get a prescription. They do |
| The sun's rays, or ultra-violet rays, are the number two | | | | have an over-the-counter treatment, but it is not as |
| reason for eye problems in our country. The ultra violet | | | | effective. |
| rays that come from the sun and tanning machines do | | | | Now that you know the things that you do in your daily |
| massive damage to our eyes. Sunglasses with UV | | | | life that cause your eyesight to get worse over time, |
| protection are an absolute requirement for everyone, in | | | | you will be able to protect yourself. Keeping to these |
| my opinion. The sun's UV rays bounce off of many | | | | five steps will certainly help us, adults, to see better but |
| surfaces. They also pierce many surfaces. Just | | | | it will be most beneficial when applied to our children |
| because you are turned away from the sun or are | | | | before their eye sight is damaged. |
| driving in your car doesn't mean that you are | | | | |