Taking care of eyes in the digital age has become very difficult. From the time we wake up, till we go to bed in the night, our eyes remain glued to televisions, computers, smartphones and tablets.
Excessive use of a computer leads to a Syndrome called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). People suffering from CVS experience fatigue, blurred vision, and dryness in eyes. You may have yourself experienced it after sitting on a computer for a longer duration of time.
Studies have shown that while using computer, people tend to blink less which leaves more strain on the tiny muscles inside eyeballs. The eye muscles grow tired from focusing on a single fixed point and ultimately become strained.
According to a 2015 report, 61 percent people experience eye strain after prolonged use of electronic devices. A report from the Vision Council, Hindsight reveals nearly 2 out of every 3 people have an outbreak of eye strain after persistent exposure to glaring screens.
These days many children have access to digital devices that they use for longer periods of time. Studies show that continuous exposure to mobile screens can cause irreversible damage to the eyes of kids. It has been observed that kids who play outside a lot tend to have better distance vision than the ones who use computers for a longer time.
Read Also: (How to Prevent Dry Eyes During Summer Months)
One thing you should always keep in mind is that smartphones and computers are not going anywhere; it is you who has to take care of the eyes of your kids in the digital age.
Tips To Take Care of Eyes in the Digital Age
If you are an employee and your profession involves working on a computer, then you can’t escape from the technology. You will need to develop healthy, positive eye care habits and focus on how to take care of your eyes in the digital age.
1. While using a computer, you should always make sure that the screen of your gadget is at the eye level or a little lower, so that it doesn’t strain your eyes by looking up.
2. The professionals wearing eyeglasses should make sure that there is no dirt, oil or some other vision blocking thing on the glasses. Wearing clean glasses will make it easier for you to read the small print and reduce eye strain and squinting.
3. If the text on the screen appears blurry, your monitor may have a bad resolution or it may be too small. Update your screen settings to reduce strain on your eyes or upgrade your current monitor to a 20-inch monitor across or more.
4. There is a rule called 20/20/20 which Optholomists around the globe recommend to people who need to concentrate their vision on a screen for a longer duration of time. It means for every twenty minutes, the person sitting on a computer should focus on an object which is at a distance of 20 feet for 20 seconds. It refreshes your eyes by relaxing your muscles.
5. You should take good rest and eat foods which are rich in Vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids. Green leafy vegetables like Kale, Spinach, broccoli and mustard leaves are rich in Vitamin A which is essential for the health of your eyes.
6. Computer users should wear anti-reflecting coating lenses for the time they are working. Antiglare reduce the glare from screens and other light sources. Antiglare is easily available at eyeglass stores. Nowadays, you can also purchase them online anytime from anywhere.
7. Smartphone users hold their device very close to their face and end up in straining their eyes. For such people, there is a need to adopt better viewing habits to prevent the undue stress on eyes. They should limit the amount of time they spend on their mobile phone. They should take a break and focus on something else for a while. Looking around and focusing on some interesting thing will relieve their stress.
8. HEV (Blue light) has a tendency to damage living tissue because of its shorter wavelength. The amount of blue light you receive is based on many factors, including screen size & technology, brightness, and distance from the computer or mobile to the face of a user and the time. Smartphones may have small screens than computers, but they generate a greater blue light exposure than a TV set. So you should avoid too much exposure to smartphones, it can damage your eyes irreversibly.
9. For people who sit at computers consistently for hours, it is always advisable for them to have an annual eye exam and develop healthy eye care habits to prevent CVS Syndrome.
Contoura Vision Treatment For Eyes
In the modern age, you should not take the health of your eyes lightly. The more time you will spend on your computer or mobile phone, more strained it is going to make your eyes. Positive Eye care habits prevent eye strain and dryness.
If you experience any of the above-mentioned eye changes due to continuous exposure to screens, you don’t need to panic. There is a topography-guided treatment option available in India now in the form of Contoura Vision for treating vision problems. Since its debut in India in 2016, Contoura Vision has already become the first choice for Ophthalmologists around the country.
Contoura Vision treatment offers a way to improve the quality of vision so significantly that many patients are able to see more clearly without corrective eye wear. It takes the eye treatment a step further by offering even greater degrees of enhanced vision quality. This type of treatment is currently in housed only in a few premium hospitals in India.