Our eyes are continuously at work from the moment we wake up in the morning until we go to bed. It is necessary that we give them proper care to ensure their functioning well.
Here are some basic eye care tips that one should follow in order to minimize visual complications.
The 20-20-20 rule: After continuous near work, “every 20 minutes look approximately 20 feet away for a minimum of 20 seconds”. Also make sure to blink at regular intervals. This helps reduce ocular asthenopia (eye strain), dry eye and its associated symptoms.
Ergonomics: Maintain a good working space with ambient lighting, proper ergonomics and take regular breaks whenever necessary.
Cleanliness: Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching/rubbing your eyes often. Keep your eyelids clean by washing them with mild soap and dry them with a clean towel or tissue.
Screen time: Limit exposure time to digital screens. Studies show longer hours of exposure to blue light in mobile phones, laptops, tablets screens etc. affect parts of your cornea, lens and retina. It also interrupts your body’s sleep cycle, thereby affecting your productivity.
Sun Exposure: Wear sunglasses/UV protective glasses while moving outdoors. Preventing sun exposure helps you to stay away from ocular pathologies such as cataracts, macular degeneration and corneal growth (pterygium.)
Contact Lens care: Contact lens users must follow regular cleaning of the lens and the lens case to prevent any contact lens borne eye infections. Use of appropriate solution for cleaning the lenses and their proper disposal after the stipulated time period are essential.
Regular Eye checkup: Visit an Ophthalmologist/Eye clinic and get your eye health monitored regularly.
Spectacle compliance: Spectacle wearers must adhere to its compliance to minimize eye strain, headache or progression of the refractive error.
Diet: Diet is a major factor in maintaining good ocular health. Take a healthy balanced diet rich in vitamins and nutrients especially foods rich in Vitamin A, Omega 3 fatty acid and Zinc, which help the eye in the photochemical processes.
Systemic health: Make sure your systemic health is in a good state. Ocular health is also dependent on the overall health of your body. Diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension and Hyperlipidemia (increased cholesterol level) can cause retinopathies and retinal artery occlusion that may lead to moderate or severe vision loss.
Personal habits: Avoid smoking or alcohol consumption as these are major risk factors in conditions such as optic neuropathy (optic nerve damage) and artery occlusions.
Prioritize your eyes today and maintain good eye health by including these simple steps in your daily routine to stay away from ocular diseases and vision problems.
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