Pune: The increasing use of technology has led to several problems, Digital Eye Strain being one of them, which has become a growing concern among many netizens. Apparently, it was found that one in five patients suffer from this problem and are contacting DocOnline, a platform that provides access to doctor consulting services digitally. It was also seen that women too are highly affected by this ailment, which is turning into an epidemic in urban India.
‘Digital Eye Strain’ or computer eye strain is caused due to staring at electronic visual display units and extensive use of computer monitors, mobile phones.
The trends observed between January 2018 and August 2018 by DocOnline stated that one out of every five patients seeking help are victims of digital eye strain. Surprisingly, one out of every four complainants of digital eye strain are young women, who are pursuing higher education or working in jobs where they have to work on computers.
Commenting on the rising concerns, Dr Shilpa Polumahanthi, consultant of DocOnline, said that excessive usage of gadgets is leading to severe eye-related ailments among all sections of society.
“At the rate at which the problem was rising, there was a risk of the ailment turning into an epidemic at some stage. Self-regulation and some basic health measures will help the young and the old to save themselves and not fall prey to the symptoms of Digital Eye Strain,” concluded Dr Polumahanthi.
With increasing work on computers and laptops for long hours, research has revealed that people are prone to several health problems. These can include disturbing visual symptoms with redness of eyes, eye strain, eye twitching, headache and physical fatigue.
As a result, there is a loss in productivity at work, increase in errors, poor performance and general health problems. Talking about how to relax the eyes, Dr Polumahanthi said washing eyes at least 7 to 8 times a day has many benefits. It provides a cooling sensation, as the eyes relax owing to the act of splashing water, which keeps them hydrated.
“Taking short breaks is good. Eye exercises help in reducing the eye strain and brings relaxation to the eyes. A good exercise is the 20-20 rule where after working for every 20 minutes, you look at an object at about 20 metres away. This exercise relaxes the eye muscles and restores eye health. Another simple thing is to blink often to retain the eye moisture,” said Dr Polumahanthi.
Precautions
Wash eyes frequently
Take breaks at work
Do eye exercises
Blink often
Do a regular eye check-up
