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7 bad habits that age your eyes

7 Bad Habits That Prematurely Age Your Eyes

by Eye-Shop. on 1 September 2026

Are you a night owl? A fast-food lover, or a sun-worshipper? You have a good chance of ageing your eyes prematurely - inside and out! Here's how…

1. You rub your eyes

The skin around your eyes is one of the first areas of your face to show signs of ageing. Rubbing your eyes can break the tiny blood vessels beneath the skin's surface and cause dark circles and puffy eyes, as well as the early appearance of crow's feet. Botox injections and cosmetic eyelid surgery can rejuvenate the eye area, but prevention is better: stop tugging at the skin around your eyes.

Don't rub your eyes

2. No sunglasses

Exposing your eyes to the sun's harmful UV radiation and high-energy visible (HEV) light is the surest way to age your eyes and eyelids prematurely. Prolonged sun exposure leads to sunburn of the front surface of the eye (photokeratitis), cataract, macular degeneration, pterygium (an unsightly growth on the eye) and even eyelid cancer. Wear sunglasses that block 100% of UV radiation and the most harmful HEV rays every time you are outdoors - even on cloudy days!

3. Smoking

Smoking harms almost every organ in your body - including your eyes. Research has linked smoking to sight-threatening eye diseases such as cataract, macular degeneration, uveitis, dry eye and diabetic retinopathy. In fact, smokers are up to four times more likely to go blind than non-smokers. The good news is that quitting smoking - no matter your age - can reduce the risk of developing a serious eye condition.

Don't smoke

4. Too little sleep

It's called beauty sleep for a reason: too little sleep can speed up ageing, and your eyes are often the first to suffer. As well as red eyes, lack of sleep also causes dark circles under the eyes, eye twitches, dry eye and blurred vision.

Too little sleep

5. Not enough water

If you don't drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day and follow a diet high in sodium (salt), the result can be dehydration - and in turn, not enough tears to keep your eyes hydrated and properly nourished. Eye symptoms linked to dehydration include dryness, redness and puffy eyelids.

Drink enough water

6. Eating junk food

Do you tend to eat fast food and not enough fruit and vegetables? Then you probably aren't getting the vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids your eyes need. A diet rich in leafy greens, colourful fruit and vegetables, and fish such as salmon can help prevent many age-related eye diseases. Eye vitamins and supplements can help fill dietary gaps, but a healthy diet, daily exercise and keeping your waistline in check are the most effective ways to keep your eyes in good shape.

7. Skipping regular check-ups

Regular eye examinations can catch vision problems, eye conditions and general health issues before you even realise they exist. Routine exams are especially important, because some sight-threatening eye diseases, such as glaucoma, often have no warning signs until there is a permanent, irreversible loss of vision. Tell your ophthalmologist about your family's health history to help work out whether you are at high risk for a particular eye disease. If you haven't already, start scheduling regular eye exams for you and your family - it could add years of healthy vision to your life.


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Related categories: Prescription glasses · Sunglasses · Ray-Ban