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| Myths |
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Facts |
| Reading in dim light is harmful to
your eyes |
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Although reading in dim light can make your eyes
feel tired, it is not harmful. |
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| It is not harmful to watch a
welder or look at the sun if you squint, or look
through narrowed eyelids. |
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Even if you squint, ultra-violet
light still gets to your eyes, damaging the cornea,
lens and retina. Never watch welding without wearing
the proper protection. Never look directly at an
eclipse.
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| Using a computer, or video display terminal (VDT),
is harmful to the eyes. |
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Although using a VDT is associated with eyestrain
or fatigue, it is not harmful to the eyes. |
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| If you use your eyes too much, you wear them out. |
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You can use your eyes as much as you wish -- they
do not wear out. |
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| Wearing poorly-fit glasses damages your eyes. |
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Although a good glasses fit is required for good
vision, a poor fit does not damage your eyes. |
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| Wearing poorly-fit contacts does not harm your
eyes. |
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Poorly fit contact lenses can be harmful to your
cornea (the window at the front of your eye). Make
certain your eyes are checked regularly by your
ophthalmologist if you wear contact lenses. |
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You do not need to have your eyes checked until
you are in your 40s or 50s.
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There are several asymptomatic, yet treatable,
eye diseases (most notably glaucoma) that can begin
prior to your 40s. |
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| Safety goggles are more trouble than they're worth. |
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Safety goggles prevent many potentially blinding
injuries every year. Keep goggles handy and use
them! |
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| It's okay to swim while wearing soft contact lenses. |
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Potentially blinding eye infections can result
from swimming or using a hot tub while wearing contact
lenses.
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| Children outgrow crossed eyes. |
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Children do not outgrow truly crossed eyes. A
child whose eyes are misaligned has strabismus and
can develop poor vision in one eye (a condition
known as amblyopia) because the brain turns off
the misaligned or "lazy" eye. The sooner
crossed or misaligned eyes are treated, the less
likely the child will have permanently impaired
vision. |
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| A cataract must be ripe before it can be removed |
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With modern cataract surgery, a cataract does
not have to ripen before it is removed. When a cataract
keeps you from doing the things you like or need
to do, consider having it removed. |
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| Cataracts can be removed with lasers. |
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Cataracts cannot be removed with a laser. The
cloudy lens must be removed through a surgical incision.
However, after cataract surgery, a membrane within
the eye may become cloudy. This membrane can be
opened with laser surgery.
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| Eyes can be transplanted. |
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The eye cannot be transplanted. It is connected
to the brain by the optic nerve, which cannot be
reconnected once it has been severed. The cornea
-- the clear front part of the eye -- can be transplanted.
Surgeons often use plastic intraocular lens implants
(IOL's) to replace natural lenses removed during
cataract surgery. |
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All eye care providers are the same.
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An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (M.D.)
or doctor of osteopathy (D.O.), uniquely trained
to diagnose and treat all disorders of the eye.
An ophthalmologist is qualified to perform surgery,
prescribe and adjust eyeglasses and contact lenses,
and prescribe medication. An optometrist (O.D.)
is not a medical doctor, but is specially trained
to diagnose eye abnormalities, and prescribe, supply
and adjust eyeglasses and contact lenses. In most
states, optometrists can use drugs to treat certain
eye disorders. An optician fits, supplies, and adjusts
eyeglasses and contact lenses. An optician cannot
examine the eyes or prescribe eyeglasses or medication.
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