9 Things Eye Doctors Say You Should Never, Ever Do

Eye health is an easy area to overlook for many people ― that is, until a problem arises.

Visual decline, infection, injury and other ocular issues are fairly common, especially as we age. And although there are many treatments and even surgeries to fix our eye health woes, it would be nice to avoid reaching this point.

The good news is there are many ways to help prevent infection and damage to keep our eyes healthy as we age.

HuffPost asked eye doctors to share the things they never do in the interest of their ocular health. Read on for the behaviors they avoid.

They don’t sleep in contact lenses.

“I never sleep in my contact lenses unless the contact lenses have FDA approval for extended wear because of the risk of painful eye infections and cornea damage,” said Dr. William McLaughlin, an optometrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Occasionally, people who wear contacts might get exhausted or have a few too many drinks and pass out before they’ve had a chance to remove their lenses, or they might need to take a midday nap or find themselves dozing on a plane. But it’s really important to try to remember to take out your contacts in these situations.

“Sleeping in contacts allows for microbes and bacteria from the contact lens to multiply overnight,” said Dr. Ella Faktorovich, an eye doctor and founder of Pacific Vision Institute. “This can lead to further complications, such as a corneal ulcer, which can be vision-threatening and lead to the need for a corneal transplant.”

They don’t stare closely at a screen for too long without breaks.

“When people look at a phone, laptop, or book too closely for an extended period, it can increase the risk of myopia in young people and cause eyestrain for