Facts and Myths©
True or False? Reading in dim light is harmful to your eyes.
FALSE. Using your eyes in dim light does not damage them. For centuries, all nighttime reading and sewing was done by candlelight or with gas or kerosene lamps. However, good lighting does make reading easier and can prevent eye fatigue.
True or False? Using computers can damage your eyes.
FALSE. Looking at computer monitors will not harm your eyes. Often, when using a computer for long periods of time, just as when reading and doing close work, you blink less often than normal. This reduced rate of blinking makes your eyes dry, which may lead to the feeling of eyestrain or fatigue.
True or False? Wearing the wrong kind of eyeglasses damages your eyes.FALSE. Eyeglasses are devices used to sharpen your vision. Although correct eyeglasses or contact lenses help you to see clearly, wearing a pair with the wrong lenses, or not wearing glasses at all, will not physically damage your eyes but may cause eye fatigue or strain.
True or False? Sitting close to the television can damage children's eyes.FALSE. Children can focus at close distance without eyestrain better than adults. They often develop the habit by holding reading materials close to their eyes or sitting right in front of television.
There is no evidence that this damages their eyes, and the habit usually diminishes as children grow older. However, children with nearsightedness (myopia) sometimes sit very close to the television in order to see the images more clearly, so they should have an eye examination.
True or False? Eating carrots improves your vision.FALSE. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is essential for sight, but many other foods also contain vitamin A. A well-balances diet, with or without carrots, provides all the vitamin A necessary for good vision.
True or False? Older people who gain 'second
sight' may be developing cataracts.TRUE. Older individuals who wear reading eyeglasses sometimes find themselves able to read without their eyeglasses and think their eyesight is improving. The truth is they are becoming more nearsighted, which can be a sign of early cataract development.
True or False? Wearing eyeglasses will cause you to become dependent on them.
FALSE. Eyeglasses are used to correct blurry vision. Since clear vision with eyeglasses is preferable to uncorrected vision, you may find that you want to wear your eyeglasses more often. Although it may feel as if you are becoming dependent on your eyeglasses, you are actually just getting used to seeing clearly.
True or False? A cataract must be 'ripe' before it is removed.
FALSE. With older surgical techniques, it was thought to be safer to remove a cataract when it was "ripe." With today's modern surgical procedures, a cataract can be removed whenever it begins to interfere with a person's lifestyle.
If you are unable to see well enough to do the things you like or need to do, you should consider cataract surgery. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract.
True or False? All 'eye doctors' are the same.
FALSE. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor with special training to diagnose and treat all diseases of the eye. To become an ophthalmologist requires a minimum of eight years of medical school and hospital training after college. An ophthalmologist is qualified to provide all aspects of eye care, including cataract, laser, and other eye surgery.
Optometrists and opticians are other types of eye care professionals. They are trained and licensed to provide some aspects of eye care, but they are not medical doctors and have not attended medical school. In most states, they cannot prescribe all medications or perform surgery.
©American Academy of Ophthalmology
