Archive for the ‘Urban Myths’ Category

Old Wives Tale #2: Crossing Your Eyes Permanently Crosses Them

Heard the one about how crossing your eyes can lead them to become permanently crossed? Deriving from the same school of thought as, ‘If the wind changes direction, your face will stick like that,’ this is another classic old wives’ tale.

Thankfully, pulling a cross-eyed expression for the amusement – perhaps – of your friends and family will have no lasting ill effects for your eyes. When we focus on an object close-up our eyes naturally come together, so crossing your eyes deliberately is merely an exaggeration of this response.

For those of you who have never quite got the hang of the enviable art of eye-crossing, you can follow AVC’s top tips below and become an eye-crossing expert in no time at all!*

• To get started, simply focus on one object at eye level – such as a finger. The best location is one that is level with the bridge of your nose, about 1-3 inches away

• Slowly bring your finger closer to your face. Keep your focus

• When you’re ready, slowly move your finger out of sight, but try your best to hang on to your by now crossed eye expression

• Practicing in a dim light might make things easier, as there is less for your eyes to try to focus on, and
therefore less distraction

• You won’t be able to check yourself that you are crossing your eyes correctly, so have a friend on
hand to critique!

• Once you get a real feel for crossing your eyes, you’ll find that you can start doing it instantly, without
the need for a focusing prop like a finger

• Eye-crossing veterans should consider the next-level trick of crossing one eye but not the other. Start by
looking hard with both eyes to either the right or the left, then cross your eyes without moving them
back to the centre. Once you get the hang of doing this from either side you’ll even be able to shake your
head and shift the one crossed eye over to the other side!

*Possibly

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Old Wives Tale #1: Carrots can Help you See in the Dark

Ah, the humble carrot. Pushed around the plates of children everywhere, too readily available to be seen as exotic and forever associated with the not entirely fussy rabbit.

But, carrots do have their trump card: that popular adage that if you eat them you’ll be blessed with the ability to see in the dark. That’s right, no more night-vision goggles, torches or candles for you! Right? Not quite.

The myth that carrots contain special properties related to eyesight has persisted for years, but there has never been any proven link between the two. What is accepted is that the vegetable is a decent source of Vitamin A, which can play a part in fighting infections, clearing skin and yes, helping support healthy eyes. They also contain Beta-carotene, which may reduce the risk of macular and cataract degeneration. But the power to see in the dark? Afraid not.

If you really want to know where and why carrot-eating lore first appeared, you need look no further than World War II. During this period British Intelligence were feeling pretty pleased with themselves for implementing special Airborne Inception Radar technology that helped the Royal Air Force spot enemy bombers before they reached the English Channel. The trouble was, Britain didn’t want the Germans to find out the real reason why the number of enemy bombers they were hitting was increasing.

Suggesting that it was carrots that were giving British pilots the edge may sound rather far-fetched, but thanks to the press whole-heartedly embracing this theory, it was no time at all before it became accepted into the public consciousness. One popular story widely circulated was that of RAF pilot Lieutenant John Cunningham, who became known by the nickname ‘Cats Eyes’ thanks to his ability to hunt enemy in the dark due to a diet made up of carrots, carrots and more carrots.

That’s not something AVC would advise now, as an overdose of Vitamin A can be toxic, and Beta-carotene in large quantities has the unfortunate habit of turning the skin of the eater into a luminous orange colour.

So, that’s carrots out the window. If you are experiencing difficulties with your vision or have noticed that your eyesight just isn’t what it used to be, it’s probably a good idea to give AVC a call on 020 7935 7497. Our specialist treatments involve absolutely no carrots at all. We promise.

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