While our society places great importance on being physically fit, an emphasis is rarely placed on the eyes. It has been said that the eyes are the window into the soul. If they are not cared for correctly, it can be hard to perform everyday activities. Many people who do not care for their vision complain of headaches, burning eyes, or squinting. If you have any of these symptoms, this means that you are not properly caring for your eyes.
The first thing you should understand is that good vision care must be taught. Almost everyone has the potential to have a good vision. These days, our eyes are under constant strain. Students in school now read twice the number of textbooks that their parents read when they were in school. The rapid use of computers has led to a society in which many people spend long hours each day looking at a computer screen. For these people, the amount of strain placed on the eyes is considerable.
The thing that many people fail to realize is that the eyes were not designed to constantly look at objects a few feet away from them. Our eyes were designed to enhance our chances of survival in the wild, and this means that our eyes are naturally good at locating enemies and food at a distance. The task of constantly staring at objects a few feet away such as televisions and computers is a very recent phenomenon. Many of the problems people have with their eyes is a failure to adapt to this new environment.
People talk about the importance of personal hygiene, but it is also critical to understand the value of your visual hygiene. If you are staring at an object for long periods of time which is a few feet away, look away from it every now and then. It is also important to have a light on anything you are looking at. If you are reading a textbook, the light on it should be much brighter than the other objects in the room. It is also important to make sure you sit upright when watching tv or sit in front of the computer.
When you read or write, you should be at least 16 inches away from the document. When you watch television, you should sit at least 8 feet away from it. It is also important to engage in outdoor activities every now and then. Playing sports will allow your eyes to focus on objects a long-distance away.
