As a freshman in university, I have to begin my college life with my roommates. Maybe because of this new environment, I could not fall asleep at the beginning. So I chose to read some books before sleeping. One of my roommates then told me that reading books before going to bed is very bad to our eyes. At first, I thought she just found fault with me, maybe because she could not sleep as well for I opened my lamp. So I did not listen to her suggestion. But generally, going on well with her, I found she was an honest and reliable friend. Actually, what she said to me was totally true.
For many people, it is very common to do some reading on bed and then put down the book when falling asleep. Or they stay up late for work so that sometimes they are too tried so as to fall asleep at desk soon. In fact, these actions really harm our health, especially our eyes.
In term of our eyes, they are similar to a camera with ability of automatic focusing. When people look at things nearby, for example reading books, eye must accommodate itself in order to make sure things be seen clearly. It seems that eyes have rests since people have a sleep immediately after reading. But to be honest, eyes work for looking at close things for a long time. As a result, ciliary muscle, lens and pupil in the eyeball must also keep sustaining contraction for a while. So in this period of time, spasm of accommodation may be formed.
Therefore, under the circumstance, many people may have some syndromes of eye fatigue, such as eye pain, eye dryness and crying. What is more worse, repeated and long-term spasm of accommodation can cause pseudomyopia, which then gradually grows into real myopia or increase the degree of nearsightedness.
So in a word, before sleeping, do not using eyes to read or do other work. Only by this can eyes have actual rests. Instead, you can close eyes for rests lying on bed, do eye exercises or apply eyes with a warm towel and meanwhile eye fatigue can be reduced.
From my roommate’s suggestion, I have got rid of this bad habit. And now I have a nice sleep every night.