--- title: Common Habits That Can Hurt Your Eyes - The Mind's Eye | VBA description: It’s no secret that we’re all creatures of habit. But what if some of those habits that you have are damaging your eyes? --- Already have an Account? LOGIN X ### Select Line of Coverage: Vision Dental ### Select One: Member Administrator Provider Lab SIGN IN It’s no secret that we’re all creatures of habit. But what if some of the habits that you have are damaging your eyes? Here are some common habits that are potentially dangerous for your eyes: - Sleeping in contacts. We’ve all been there. It’s late and you don’t want anything to stand between you and getting some sleep. However, sleeping in contacts makes you [six times](https://www.cdc.gov/contactlenses/show-me-the-science.html#habits) as likely to get a corneal infection. Not to mention sleeping in contacts can dry your eyes out. - Overusing eye drops. Non-prescription eye drops can be used for dry eye or even allergy relief. The main purpose of these types of drops is to alleviate the redness in the eye. If you abuse the eye drops, it could make the eye [more irritated and red](http://ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/11/55001b6752426_-_051133-2_Eyedrops_09-11_wWM.pdf). - Rubbing your eyes. The temptation to rub your eyes can be great, whether you have something in your eye or even if you’re tired. It’s important to resist that temptation to avoid harm that could come to your eye as a result. If there is a particle in your eye and you rub it, you risk [scratching your cornea](http://www.focusclinics.com/blog/common-habits-can-damage-eyes/). In addition, rubbing can break the small blood vessels under the skin, which can cause puffy eyes and dark circles. - Not wearing sunglasses. Sunglasses are a necessary accessory year-round. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are damaging to our eyes even on [overcast](https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/sun) Prolonged UV exposure can lead to bloodshot or swollen eyes, hypersensitivity to light and cataract formation. - Skipping an eye exam. Too often, yearly eye exams are missed. Not only can your eye care provider detect serious eye diseases such as glaucoma or cataracts, but they can [detect other illness](http://www.allaboutvision.com/resources/bad-habits.htm) such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. - **Excessive screen time****. **Though screen time in today’s age is almost unavoidable, [excessive use of digital devices](https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/protect-your-eyes-from-too-much-screen-time) can impact your vision health. We tend to [blink less](https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/protect-your-eyes-from-too-much-screen-time) when staring at our screens, which can easily dry out our eyes. Additionally, [blue light](https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/protect-your-eyes-from-too-much-screen-time) emitted from digital devices can cause eye strain and disrupt your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep. ## Related Articles [Tips and Tricks](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/tips-and-tricks) [Vision](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/vision) [Lifestyle](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/lifestyle) [Health and Wellness](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/health-and-wellness) [Dental](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/dental) ### [Establishing Healthy Habits Can Impact Your Future](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/blog/post/establishing-healthy-habits-can-impact-your-future) [Kathy Landsparger](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/author/kathy-landsparger) [Read More](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/blog/post/establishing-healthy-habits-can-impact-your-future) [Oral Conditions](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/oral-conditions) [Hygiene and Health](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/hygiene-and-health) [Tips and Tricks](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/tips-and-tricks) [Dental](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/tag/dental) ### [Oral Health Habits for Children](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/blog/post/oral-health-habits-for-children) [Emily Shrader](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/author/emily-shrader) [Read More](https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/blog/post/oral-health-habits-for-children) #### Stay in Touch Sign up to receive the latest news and information from VBA. ![VBA Plans of America logo](https://www.vbaplans.com/assets/images/VBA-Logo.png) Vision Benefits of America 400 Lydia Street, Suite 300 Carnegie, PA 15106 [1-800-432-4966](tel:8004324966) ##### [VISION](https://www.vbaplans.com/vision) ##### [DENTAL](https://www.vbaplans.com/dental) ##### [COMPANY](https://www.vbaplans.com/about-us) ##### FOLLOW © 2021 VBA ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jennifer Stech", "url" : "https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/author/jennifer-stech" }, "dateModified" : "2023-10-30T15:58:16.537Z", "datePublished" : "2017-01-30T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Common Habits That Can Hurt Your Eyes - The Mind's Eye | VBA", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/the-minds-eye/blog/post/common-habits-that-can-hurt-your-eyes", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blod-dev.vbaplans.com/hubfs/VBA_RGB-1.png" }, "name" : "Vision Benefits of America" } } ```