Hyderabad: Due to the constantly rising cases of COVID-19, a lockdown was imposed to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. As the lockdown continues, so does the binge-watching of our favourite web series on our mobile phones, tablets and laptops. But is it safe to be glued to our screens for so long?
Prof. Ravi Kumar Reddy, ophthalmologist and medical director at Medivision Eye Centre, Hyderabad says, “Due to prolonged screen exposure, especially due to the blue light emitted from our gadgets, certain eye disorders like dry eye, fatigue and even headaches can be witnessed.” Therefore, binge watching can cause great damage to your eyes if proper precautions are not taken.
“On an average, a maximum of 8 hours can be spent on screens but with frequent resting intervals. I recommend taking intervals after every 2 hours for at least 2 minutes," says Prof. Reddy. Here are a few other measures that he suggested:
Not just social Distance
Prof. Reddy recommends maintaining a proper distance from the screens. A distance of at least 15-20 feet from TV screens and at least a 2 feet distance from mobile and tablet screens must be maintained.
Mind the font size
A proper font size must be used to avoid causing tiredness of the eyes. The text on our mobile phones, laptops and tablets should be readable and not very tiny. Always remember, lesser font size- early fatigue, larger font size- lesser fatigue.
BREAK the distance
Take frequent breaks from staring at your screen to relax your eyes.
Rub your palms until warm and cover your eyes. Don’t put too much pressure
Look at distant objects around you
Add Humidity to the room
Air conditions can cause dryness in the room as well as the eyes. Therefore, humidifiers can be used in the rooms, which gives comfort to the eyes or you can ensure proper ventilation in the room.
Wash it up
If you feel dryness in your eyes, try washing your eyes frequently with cold water
Exercise your eyes
To lessen the stress and fatigue, move your eyes a little. Eye exercises like moving your eyeballs up-down, right-left and rotating them clockwise and anti-clockwise are helpful.
Keep yourself hydrated
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. It helps in keeping the eyes moist too.
Lighten up your surroundings
Looking at screens in a dark ambience is harmful for eyes. The brightness of the screen should be adjusted according to the surroundings, to avoid straining of the eyes.
Thus, apart from the above mentioned precautions, Prof. Reddy says, “People with even a small error should wear spectacles and not compromise and damage eyes (partially closing the eyes) to focus. Also, it is essential to have anti-glare or anti-reflection coating glasses for people working on computers."
"Those who prefer wearing contact lenses, it’s prolonged use is not advisable. They cause more dryness, especially in summers and air conditioned environments. Although, soft lenses can be worn for a maximum of 8 hours at a stretch," says Prof Reddy.
Therefore, maintaining distance, taking breaks and avoiding continuous viewing of the screens is the best way to prevent any kind of eye disorders.
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