Eye Health Management

In times of social distancing, our eye health is majorly affected due to the increased screen time. Most of us spend time on their smartphones, laptops and televisions, because of working from home, online classes, social media, news, etc.

This increased screen time causes eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, itchy and watery eyes, and neck and shoulder pain. These symptoms may be caused by other factors such as uncorrected vision needs, glare, poor lighting, and improper posture.

• Make sure the lighting in the room is comfortable on the eyes.
• Position the screen correctly so that your head is in a naturally comfortable position.
• Make sure that your seating is comfortable. A comfortable chair with support for your neck and back will help you avoid neck and shoulder strain.
• Screen brightness should be kept to optimum levels; neither too dark nor too bright.
• Maintain a distance of 12-15 inches from the screen.
• Follow 20-20-20 rule - The rule says that for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, a person should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Washing eyes and face with water once in 2 hours can reduce the strain and relax the eyes.
• Adequate sleep ensures that eyes are well-rested and strain-free.
• Practice Trataka. In a darkroom using a single lit candle or ‘diya’ placed at a distance of 6 feet, start to gaze at the flame for a few minutes, later imagine the same by closing the eyes until the image of the flame is fading. Repeat the same for 15 to 20 minutes. End the practice with palming and applying that warmth to the eyes.
• Application of cold pack (cold, wet cotton cloth) over closed eyes for 30 minutes relieves the burning sensation. Replace the wet cloth every 5 minutes for better results.
• Do some eye exercises like - palming, blinking, changing the focus of eyes from side to side simultaneously, changing the focus of eyes forward and sideways simultaneously, rotational viewing, viewing upwards and downwards simultaneously, preliminary nose tip gazing, and near and distant viewing.
• Slice two thin cool cucumber circles and apply one to each eye for 15 minutes which can hydrate the eye area and soothe puffy eyes.
• Use a coriander eyewash. Prepare a decoction by boiling a teaspoon of coriander seeds in water. Strain the decoction and let the liquid cool down. After the decoction reaches room temperature, rinse your eyes with the liquid. It helps in reducing the irritation and also helps in healing eye infections.
• Drinking 2-3 litres of water will keep your eyes hydrated and safe from dryness and irritation.
• Eat a healthy diet including green leafy vegetables, beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, nuts, etc.