Do Carrots Really Improve Vision? Five Common Eye Myths

Posted by vision associates on January 6th, 2021

You want to do all that you can to keep your eyes healthy for as long as possible – but is the information you have on maintaining and improving your eye health accurate? Check out these common myths about how to keep your vision healthy.

Myth #1 – Eating carrots will improve your vision.

It's true that vitamin A is needed for healthy vision, and it's true that vitamin A is found in carrots. That being said, increasing your vitamin A won't stop you from needing vision correction (like contacts or glasses) and it won't improve poor eyesight. Not a huge fan of carrots? No worries – you can also get your fill of vitamin A from leafy greens, fish, and other healthy foods.

Myth #2 – Sun gazing is important for your overall health.

A phenomenon that's gained some popularity recently, sun gazing can be incredibly dangerous for your eyes. People who practice sun gazing stare directly at the sun for a sustained period of time. Looking at the sun without medical-grade eye protection can permanently damage your retinas. Bottom line: don't do it.

Myth #3 – Eye exercises can decrease your corrective lens prescription.

While eye exercises can help people who suffer from convergence insufficiency (a condition in which it's hard for both eyes to focus on one object at the same time), these exercises are not effective for the vast majority of eye conditions, including standard nearsightedness and/ or farsightedness.

Myth #4 – Sitting too close to the television can damage your eyes.

While it's likely your parents were stone-set in their belief of this myth, it's not true. Sitting too close to a TV can cause headaches, but it won't damage your eyes. If you find that you get headaches from screens, be sure to take frequent breaks, and make sure that you're wearing the proper corrective lens prescription.

Myth #5 – Wearing the wrong corrective lenses will damage your eyes.

If you put on glasses that are no longer the right prescription for you, you may find that you struggle to focus and/ or you get a headache. While this is unpleasant, it won't damage your eyes. Getting an updated prescription will take care of the problem.

The best source of knowledge when it comes to your vision? Your eye doctor. If you're not sure whether you're doing the right things to keep your eyes healthy, make an appointment to see your eye doctor today.