Eye Know: What You Need to Know About Your Vision

Imagine having only one eye! What will we look like? The first image that comes to mind is…Alien!!

Thankfully, we have two eyes. First of all, let’s start with the basics. Our eyes allow us to see the world around us, but why two instead of one? The answer is simple: it’s all about backup. That’s right! Because if we were to lose one of them, we would still have another one to rely on. If one is damaged or affected by an illness or injury, we can still use the other eye to see and perform tasks that require vision.

But wait, there’s more! Eyes also let us perceive depth and distance more accurately and precisely. Each eye offers a slightly different perspective and picture of an item, which our brain combines to form a three-dimensional vision of the world. This phenomenon is called “binocular vision”. It also enables us to determine distance and depth more precisely than if we just had one eye. That’s quite awesome, isn’t it?

Some people think that we have two eyes because one is for gazing at the present and the other is for seeing the future. It makes some sense, right? One eye can concentrate on the present while the other eye keeps a watch on what will happen next. It’s similar to having a built-in crystal ball. For example, when we play basketball. One eye can be focused on the ball in our hands, while the other eye scans the floor for open teammates or opponents who may be attempting to grab the ball. This allows us to make rapid decisions and respond correctly to what’s going on in the game. Having two eyes allows us to have a wider field of vision and to be able to detect movement and changes in our environment more easily.

The ideal human eye neatly focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye. However, people aren’t perfect, and slight visual impairments occur on a regular basis. It is highly common to have refractive errors, which alter how light reaches the retina. They Include -

1. Nearsightedness (Myopia): The classic “can’t see far away” issue. It happens when the shape of the eye makes light focus in front of the retina, instead of on it. This usually happens because the eyeball’s shape is too long.

You could be nearsighted if you’re continually struggling to see street signs or relying on someone else to read things that are far away. At least you don’t need glasses to read a book or use a smartphone.

2. Farsightedness (Hyperopia): The opposite of nearsightedness, farsightedness makes it difficult to see things up close. When light focuses too far past the retina, making nearby things appear blurred. This is mainly due to the eyeball’s shape being excessively short.

You may find yourself holding a newspaper at arm’s length or struggling to see the small text on a prescription bottle.

3. Astigmatism: This may sound like a scary word, but it’s only a fancy way of explaining that your eye isn’t exactly round. When light doesn’t focus on the retina correctly because the cornea or lens is misshapen. This can cause both near and far objects to look blurry.

4. Presbyopia: It is an age-related disorder that impairs the capacity of the eyes to concentrate on near objects. The lenses in our eyes become less flexible as we age, making it more difficult to shift focus from distant to close things.

These conditions affect the shape of the eye and, in turn, how the eye sees. They can be corrected by eyeglasses, contact lenses, and in some cases surgery like LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

Dry Eyes: If you feel like your eyes are as dry as the Sahara desert, you may be suffering from the common yet uncomfortable condition known as dry eyes. This can be caused by a number of things, including age, certain medications, or simply staring at a computer screen for too long.

It is easily treated with artificial tears, prescribed eye drops, or other treatments.

Some tips for eye care:

Get regular eye exams — this can help detect and treat eye diseases early on.

Protect your eyes from the sun — wear sunglasses with UV protection when outdoors.

Eat a healthy diet — foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, can help keep your eyes healthy.

Take breaks when using screens — looking at screens for long periods of time can cause eye strain and discomfort, so taking frequent breaks can help alleviate this.

Your eyes are constantly working to help you navigate the world around you. So take good care of them!

Eye health is something we often take for granted until something goes wrong.

What’s one thing you learned from reading this blog that you didn’t know before, and how will you apply it to protect your eyes?