Life is busy. There is so much to do and so little time. There are countless errands to run, a myriad of responsibilities to fulfill and a number of distractions to entertain us. Who has time to sleep? 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep has become a huge problem that affects the general health and productivity in a negative way.
People are happily forgoing sleep without realizing it is vital for their daily replenishing cycle. Bad sleeping habits damage every one of the bodily functions, so it comes as no surprise that improper sleep is bad for our eyes too. Other than causing dark circles around your eyes and giving you a weary look, inadequate sleep can incite some serious vision problems.
Dry Eye
Dry eye is one of the most common causes of eye irritation. Its symptoms include sensation of regular eye irritation, burning, and tearing. The eyes appear bloodshot and swollen and the vision is blurred. It happens when the tear ducts in the eyes fail to lubricate the eyes properly. Dry eye may be caused by inadequate or infrequent sleep as well as sleep apnea.
Popped Blood Vessels
Popped or broken blood vessels in the eye are known as a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It is simply breakage of some tiny blood vessels in the white of the eye. It is usually benign and goes away on its own, but is visually unpleasing, to say the least. Strain caused to eyes due to lack of sleep is one of the causes of this condition.
Eye Spasms
Another consequence of your bad sleeping habits could be eye spasms. “Myokymia” is the medical name of this condition. It involves involuntary twitching of the eye that can be distracting and uncomfortable. Eye spasms might not be directly related to poor eyesight but getting them repeatedly is a sign that your eyes are not healthy. Getting adequate sleep helps relax the eye muscles and can help you get rid of these annoying eye spasms.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition which damages the optic nerve and can eventually lead to permanent loss of vision. One of the causes of glaucoma is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that causes interruptions in your breathing during sleep. The resulting lack of oxygen is linked to the development of glaucoma. So, it is important to get proper deep sleep and have your sleep apnea treated.
Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Lack of sleep is a root cause of a number of eye diseases. Ischemic Optic Neuropathy is one of those ailments. 75% of patients with this condition have sleep apnea. This condition is caused by damage to the optic nerve due to a poor blood flow. You can experience sharp pain in one or both of your eyes. You might have difficulty seeing as well.
Your eyesight as well as your overall health depends upon your sleep. Nothing in life is worth risking your bad health and poor eyesight over. Make sure you manage your time well and sleep properly.
