Debunking the Most Common Eye Myths

Throughout history, our eyes have been possibly the most difficult human organs for us to understand. Even Charles Darwin was stumped by their place in the evolutionary journey. After all, our eyes are one of the most complex organs in the human body – second only to our brains.

But that hasn’t stopped some of the greatest minds in the world from coming up with theories about the human eye – some of which are much more bizarre than others.

In Ancient Greece, for example, famous philosopher Plato came up with the “emission theory”. He suggested that the eyes emit light to light up the objects around us, allowing us to see.

Of course, today we have a much clearer understanding of how the eye works. But that doesn’t mean that all previous theories and myths have been banished to the history books. In fact, many eye myths are still circulated widely to this day.

In this article, we’re going to tackle such myths, and in doing so, try to get a few things straight about the miracle that is our vision. Oh, and we’ll also include some “myths” that are actually (surprisingly) true!

Myth 1: Eating carrots is good for seeing at night

Most of us will recall being told this “fact” by our parents or grandparents as they pulled their hair out trying to get us to eat our vegetables. But the origin of this myth is actually very interesting.

During the Blitz bombings of World War II in England, the government issued blackouts to prevent the Germans from being to identify their targets. Meanwhile, the RAF utilised cutting-edge technology to help them strike the Luftwaffe in the darkness – radar.

However, the Allies understandably didn’t want the enemy to know about this secret weapon, so they devised a plan to throw them off the scent: They published propaganda claiming that carrots helped their pilots to see in the dark. This claim was soon spread to the wider public, with one advertisement reading: “Carrots keep you healthy and help you see in the blackout.”

But while this might all have been a big ruse to throw the Germans off the scent, the claim was based in fact, at least partly.

Carrots contain a number of eye-friendly ingredients that promote good eye health. In addition to beta carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), which is essential for vision and other bodily functions, carrots are also rich in lutein, which is believed to support eye health!

Myth 2: All babies are born with blue eyes

You might think that this myth is easy to debunk. Yet, the idea that all babies are born with blue eyes persists to this day. While it is true that many babies are born with blue or grey eyes, this is not a universal phenomenon.

The colour of a baby’s eyes depends primarily on their genetics and the amount of melanin produced in their body. This protein also gives people their skin colour, and the two are often linked. For example, babies with darker skin are frequently born with brown eyes, while lighter-skinned babies tend to be born with blue or grey eyes.

However, as melanocytes (the cells that secrete melanin) respond to light, some babies may appear to be born with blue eyes when, in reality, it is simply because they have not been exposed to light environments yet. Over time, as the baby’s eyes are exposed to more light, their eyes can begin to change colour!

Myth 3: Blue-eyed people all share a common ancestor

Okay, this one is a little different to the rest of the myths in this list, in that it’s actually true! With so many blue-eyed people in the world (approximately 8-10% of the global population), it’s hard to believe that they all share a common ancestor.

But research has shown that when humans first evolved, each one was born with brown eyes by default. Then, between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, when Homo Sapiens expanded increasingly into Europe due to the spread of agriculture from the Middle East, the first blue-eyed person was born.

This anomaly was the result of a genetic mutation which, according to a 2008 study, essentially “turned off the ability to produce brown eyes”. This disruption to melanin production resulted in the world’s first human blue eyes!

Myth 4: Babies are born with adult-size eyes

Back to another baby-related myth, you may have heard that, when we’re born, our eyes are already at their adult size. But while babies do indeed have proportionally large eyes, this isn’t quite true.

Generally, babies are born with eyes approximately two-thirds of their full size. They then continue to grow after birth, typically in two phases: their first few years of life and during puberty.

Myth 5: Using computers can damage your eyes

We have been told about the dangers of staring at screens for decades. From being told we would get square eyes from watching too much television to exclamations that looking at our phones for too long will damage our vision, this may be one of the most widely circulated eye myths.

Don’t get us wrong – excessive screen time can certainly be bad for our eyes. Digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, from spending too much time on our screens can be associated with eye strain, headaches, and dry eyes. However, there is no evidence that screen time causes any lasting damage to your eyes or vision.

Nonetheless, it is important to maintain healthy habits when spending a lot of time on screens. This can be achieved with the 20-20-20 rule. This involves taking a 20-second break from your screen every 20 minutes by focusing on something at least 20 feet away!

Myth 6: Wearing glasses or contacts can worsen your eyesight

While glasses and contact lenses remain the most popular visual aids, some people still believe that wearing them can eventually worsen their eyesight and even their eye health.

While it is true that contact lenses can slightly change the shape of the cornea over time, neither contacts nor glasses will change the physiology of the eye or increase your dependency on them. In fact, the brain prefers the clearer images provided by these visual aids compared to uncorrected vision, as it reduces the effort needed to make sense of the information it is receiving from the eyes.

Glasses and contact lenses remain extremely effective at correcting the full range of refractive errors. Of course, they still come with a number of inconveniences that many people strive to rid themselves of. Still, you shouldn’t be worried about your glasses or contact lenses worsening your vision!

Myth 7: Our vision is under our complete voluntary control

Like most other parts of our bodies, we’re able to point our eyes towards objects and people with conscious control. This may lead you to believe that you have complete control over your eye movements. However, that’s not entirely true.

Six extraocular muscles around the eye control our eye movements. But many of the motions they make are actually involuntary. These muscles instinctively react to sudden movements around us, causing our eyes to quickly glance in that direction. This is a survival instinct that helps us to be aware of potential dangers!

Myth 8: You only need to wear sunglasses abroad and in bright sunlight

We all know that UV light can be damaging to our eyes and skin. UV damage can be a strong factor in the development of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of sight loss in the UK). But just as many of us overlook sun cream application when we’re not on holiday, our eye protection is often also neglected.

But sunglasses aren’t just a necessity when heading to the beach on a summer holiday. In fact, wearing appropriate eye protection can be just as important on overcast days or when in watery or snowy environments.

So, when choosing a pair of sunglasses, always ensure they offer full UV protection – and don’t wait for super bright days to keep them handy!

Myth 9: Eye make-up doesn’t have a use-by date

Many of us are guilty of hoarding makeup for months and even years without even thinking about its expiry date. But wearing eye makeup that is best its best can have significant risks for your eye health.

While we are generally careful about what we put in or near our eyes, makeup is often overlooked. We may be aware of the potential risks of improper contact lens use, but wearing expired makeup can also increase your risk of contracting an eye infection.

It’s important to remember that all makeup and cosmetic products have a shelf life. This is the time within which the product should be used after opening. The exact period can differ significantly depending on the product, with some products lasting for 6 months while others will be safe to use for 2 years.

Always check the packaging of your makeup products when you purchase them to ensure you know how long they will be safe to use.

Myth 10: Losing vision is an inevitable part of ageing

As we get older, our eyes begin to weaken, similarly to many other parts of our bodies. In many cases, this leads to the deterioration in vision known as presbyopia (ageing eyes). But that isn’t to say that losing your reading vision is an inevitable part of growing older.

Presbyopia has traditionally been managed with the help of reading glasses; however, thanks to developments in the Laser Eye Surgery field, another option is now available. PRESBYOND Laser Blended Vision is effective at improving near vision while maintaining clear vision across all other distances. What’s more, it is more tolerable than traditional monovision, making it a suitable option for most people!

If you’d like some tips on maintaining your eye health or more information on your Laser Eye Surgery options, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators today. Alternatively, Book a Consultation today!