Keep your eyes healthy while ‘working at home’

No one expected the last couple of months to be so tough. ‘Self-quarantine’ and ‘world pandemic’ have become everyday phrases, and even the slightest cough now sends panic-stricken citizens running for cover. The authorities have instructed all residents to remain indoors to prevent direct interaction with anyone. Due to this presumption, more people than ever before are glued to their tablets, televisions, and laptops. ‘The obsession will adversely impact your emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as the condition of your eyes,’ says Dr. Anup Rajadhyaksha, ophthalmologist and medical consultant for ENTOD International.

He suggested taking screen breaks, eating healthily, and wearing computer glasses to protect your eyes when at home. Due to binge-watching web shows and working from home, screen exposure has increased during the lockdown. Electronic devices can cause a number of eye problems, including dryness, itching, redness, squinting, watering, and headaches.

Here are some preventative measures for eye health:

• Eating healthy is the only way to maintain good eye health, according to ophthalmologists. Additionally, they recommend that you obtain nutrition from food rather than from supplements such as vitamin pills.
• When you want to maintain good eye health, what should you put on your plate? It’s pretty much like every other good, nutritious meal. Start with a large spinach or kale salad topped with colorful veggies. ‘Green leafy vegetables contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been shown to help reduce the incidence of eye diseases,’ Dr. Rajadhyaksha said.
• Nutritionists recommend carrots and sweet potatoes, which can provide vitamin A. Vitamin A can improve the health of the eyes. Fruits like bananas, grapes, and mangoes are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which prevent eye diseases. A diet rich in salmon or other cold-water fish will help relieve dry eyes by promoting tear production.
• It is important to take regular breaks from working and focusing on a screen: ‘Close your eyes for a few seconds every 15-20 minutes and take a break from the screen. Massage your eyes every two hours or wash your face every two hours. Do not rub your eyes with your hands. If your eyes are dry, blink often,’ he said.
• Consider learning a new skill or practicing a new workout routine while you use the screen. As a result, you will be able to spend less time on the computer and be more focused on other tasks.
• Invest in good-quality blue-light-blocking glasses. Blue light emitted by screens is harmful to our eyes, especially if we are exposed to it for a long time. Using computer glasses, also known as blue-light-blocking glasses, has become more common in order to alleviate the effects of digital eye pressure.
• The high-energy visible (HEV) light, which is released by almost every optical screen, is blocked by these special glasses. Blue-light-blocking glasses often have yellow lenses, which neutralize blue light and reduce eye strain. Additionally, blue-blocking lenses are often crucial when using your tablet late at night or before bedtime. The blue light emitted by your laptop late at night will make it difficult to fall asleep. A neon light or a dark space isn’t a good idea either. Dr. Rajadhyaksha explained that reading and operating in dim light will not affect vision but could induce eye strain.

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Spend time with your family, whether it’s your parents, siblings, or pets. Spending time together would make you feel comfortable and help you take a break from your computer. You can play an indoor game to keep yourself entertained.