Can Poor Sleeping Habits Affect Your Eyes?

Sleep is crucial to your health and to every part of your body, including your eyes. It ensures that your eyes have enough moisture and rest to perform well. If you are not getting enough sleep, this could affect your eyes and increase your risks of various side effects ranging from mild (dark circles and puffy eyes) to severe (eye infections and vision loss).

Lumen Optometric, a trusted provider of contact lenses and eye care services, further discusses the negative impact of poor sleeping habits on your overall eye health.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Eyes

One common but less dangerous effect of poor sleep is having dark circles underneath your eyes. Some people, though, are more prone to having puffy eyes rather than dark circles after a night of inadequate sleep. In other cases, when people are not able to get enough sleep, they experience eye spasms and twitching throughout the day. This often makes it difficult to do work or activities like reading. It can also pose hazards if you are driving.

Another usual side effect of sleep deprivation is having strained, dry and itchy eyes the next day. This is a slightly more serious effect of poor sleep. Dry eyes specifically can be painful and it can cause irritation. This is mainly because your eyes are not getting proper lubrication. Lack of sleep may also cause your eyes to be sensitive to light or your vision to be blurry.

People who don’t get enough sleep have an increased risk of glaucoma, a condition caused by excessive buildup inside the eye. If you have been experiencing these symptoms more frequently, make sure to visit an eye exam doctor. You should also address the source of your eye symptoms — in this case, poor sleeping habits.

Tips on Improving Your Sleep

Remember that your eyes go through a lot whenever you’re awake. They work several hours a day, so it is important to give them enough time to recover through sleep. If you are having problems getting a good quality of sleep, here are some tips that might help you:

• Exercise regularly. This can help you sleep better, but make sure to avoid it three hours before your bedtime.
• Get as much sunlight as you can during the day.
• As much as possible, avoid exposure to blue light and digital screens at least two hours before bedtime.
• Consider wearing an eye mask if you get stimulated even by the faintest of lights at night. You can also try blackout blinds to prevent outdoor lights from seeping into your bedroom.

Lumen Optometric provides exceptional eye care by ensuring that every patient receives quality service that meets their specific needs. Our areas of expertise include Neurolens® therapy, corneal reshaping, myopia management and more. Call us at (626) 921-0199 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.