Sight Smart & FAQs

Despite improved education efforts, a lot of erroneous information about vision still exists. Inaccurate beliefs and misperceptions can influence people's thoughts and actions, which can, in turn, affect how they treat or mistreat their vision.

Take this quiz to see how smart you are about healthy vision practices.

T F Reading in a dim light damages your eyes.

(False. Reading in dim light does not damage your eyes or cause them to wear out. But reading in good light does make reading easier and prevents eye fatigue.)

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

T F Eating carrots will improve your vision.

(False. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, which is essential for sight. However, many other foods also contain Vitamin A and only a small amount is necessary for vision. A well-balanced diet, with or without carrots, provides all the nutrients needed for good vision.)

Source: Opticians Association of America

T F Children do not outgrow cross or misaligned eyes.

(True. Children don't 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.)

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

T F 20/20 vision is a diagnosis that means you don't have eye problems.

(False. Many eye diseases can be developing without any symptoms. These include glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Regular exams can spot problems and correct them before it's too late.)

Source: American Optometric Association

T F Exercise can help prevent vision problems.

(True. A nutritious diet and regular exercise may help slow or prevent certain eye conditions, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Healthy habits may also help prevent diabetes, a serious disease that affects the whole body and often leads to the eye disease diabetic retinopathy.)

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

T F Computer video display terminals (VDTs) are harmful to the eyes.

(False. There is no convincing scientific evidence that computer video display terminals (VDTs) are harmful to the eyes. VDTs are associated with eyestrain. Though eyestrain is an annoying symptom, it does not mean that continuing to work on a VDT will damage your eyes.)

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

T F Ninety percent of all eye injuries from sports are preventable.

(True. Wearing protective eyewear could lower this number for all sports, including baseball, racquetball, hockey, etc.)

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

T F When watching TV, you should sit at a distance equal to twice the width of the screen.

(False. Sitting close to watch TV will not damage eyes, but it could cause eyestrain.)

Source: Opticians Association of America

T F Smoking can harm your vision.

(True. People who smoke are more at risk of developing eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and cataracts.)

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

T F It's recommended that people over age 60 have their vision screened twice a year.

(False. If you're in this age group, you should have your vision tested annually. Individuals in this age group have an increased risk of developing cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration, as well as other sight-threatening conditions.)

Source: American Optometric Association

T F One in four children have an undetected vision problem that can impede learning ability.

(True. The American Optometric Association estimates 25 percent of school-age children have a vision problem. Usually, problems can be spotted with eye exams, which is why the AOA recommends infants have an eye exam by age six months and children have their first by age 3-5 years.)

Source: American Optometric Association

T F If you have weak eyes, you should avoid reading fine print.

(False. You don't have to worry about using your eyes too much or wearing them out, even if you have weak eyes.)

Source: Opticians Association of America

T F It's normal for your eyes to take a week to adapt to new prescription glasses.

(True. The American Optometric Association advises allowing up to 10 days for your eyes to adjust, even to small changes in your prescription. Keep notes during this time of any symptoms, such as blurred vision or double vision. If symptoms persist after 10 days, consult your optometrist.)

Source: American Optometric Association

T F All sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun's harmful UV rays.

(False. Not all sunglasses offer the protection your eyes need. Some block only certain UV rays. Others don't block any. You should always buy sunglasses with the feature: 'blocks 99% of ultraviolet rays'.)

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology