When you think of health issues caused by inadequate shut-eye, you probably don't think of your eyes being affected by a lack of sleep.
A good night's sleep isn't just important for brain and immune health, it's also important for good vision. There are many ways poor sleep affects the eyes.
Sleep deprivation can cause dry eyes because the eyes have trouble producing tears when you don't sleep well. Chronic dry eyes can increase the likelihood of an eye infection. Dry eyes can also cause an increase in light sensitivity, which causes pain and discomfort with exposure to light. In addition, blurry vision is also associated with dry eyes and causes things to appear out of focus and appear less sharp.
Annoying eye twitches are also a result of a lack of sleep. While twitching eyelids aren't harmful, they are quite annoying but thankfully, a good night's sleep can do wonders to correct that.
On a more serious note, researchers have found that people with poor sleep are more likely to develop glaucoma which can lead to vision loss.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep. If you are struggling with a good night's sleep, try skipping big meals, caffeine and electronics two hours before bed. And be sure and have a yearly eye exam to rule out any eye conditions that need to be addressed.
