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The coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented changes in all of our lifestyles. People who used to travel to offices every day are now confined to their homes. Similarly, an alien term for many called “Work from Home” has now become the new norm. Most of us now spend hours on the computer screen doing video conferencing or work thus causing unusual strain on the eyes.
In this blog, I would be covering all the information regarding taking care of your eyes while working from home, along with some very simple but useful tips to keep the eyesight healthy and sharp.

How can coronavirus affect your eyes?

Coronavirus is a contagious disease and spreads through fluids coming out of the nose and mouth. The virus can enter a healthy person’s body through eyes, nose, and mouth.
In some cases, coronavirus can also cause pink eyes or conjunctivitis although it is a very rare case scenario. It is advised to visit the doctor immediately to understand the exact cause of conjunctivitis.

If you look at Screen all day while working from home

Apart from coronavirus affecting your eyes, there are other lifestyle changes that this pandemic has brought. One of which is working from home. A recent study concluded that employees end up working more hours working from home compared to the office.

This additional work has brought more stress to the eyes as the majority of the work is done through a computer/laptop. Hence it is important to take all the preventive measures to take care of your eyes. Below mentioned are some tips that you can follow to have a healthy work from home lifestyle.

Blink more often
Recent research concluded that people blink only about one third as often as they generally do when they are in front of a computer or laptop screen. This less blinking increases the strain on the eyes as it loses moisture and becomes dry.
Hence it is advised that you should blink more often to reduce stress on your eyes. This can be done by training your eyes to blink after reading 2-3 paragraphs on the digital screen. You can also keep a bottle of artificial tears handy and use it whenever you feel dryness in your eyes.

Use proper lighting of surroundings
Sometimes you might experience eye strain not due to the light coming out of the computer but due to the surrounding lights. Any type of harsh light is bad for eyes, so if you have high-intensity lights then it is advised to replace it with soft white LED light bulbs with a color temperature of 2700 k. Also if your room has windows then ideally your computer should be placed by the side of it. It should not be placed either in front of the window or opposite to it as the light will fall directly on your eyes or reflect from the computer screen. You can also use soft colored thin curtains to reduce the intensity of light.

Minimize glare
Any surface be it computer or walls should not reflect too much light as it can again cause strain to your eyes. Install an anti-glare screen on your computer to reduce the reflection. If the walls have bright colors then you need to either repaint it with soft colors or use soft color wallpaper to cover it.

Read more: How to Take Care of Your Eyes During Coronavirus Pandemic

Wear the right glasses
You can use computer glasses that are specifically made to use while working long hours in front of the screen. These glasses help in reducing the strain on your eyes. You can also use photochromatic lenses that reduce the exposure of harmful blue light emitted from the computer screen.

Also, people wearing lenses should use computer glasses while working on the computer as it is much more comfortable. Also, prolonged use of lenses during work can sometimes dry out causing irritation in eyes.

Adjust your computer display settings

Most of the time we use the computer and laptop at their default display settings which sometimes could be too bright or too dark for your eyes. Hence it is advised to change the display settings to suit your surrounding well.

To start change the brightness of the screen to match your surrounding. To judge the surrounding light consider this white screen on which you are reading, if it is emitting light then it is too bright and if it looks dim then it is too dark. Change the setting until the brightness blends with the surrounding.

Maintain an appropriate distance from the monitor
All the digital screens are made up of LCD or LED that emit light. This light is essential to show what’s on the screen but a prolonged exposure adversely affects your eyes if the screen is too close. Hence it is very important to maintain sufficient distance from the monitor. Ideally, your laptop should be 50 centimetres away from you.

Adjust text size, colors, and fonts
If you read or type a lot on your computer then it is advised to have a text size that does not strain your eyes. In terms of color, the ideal combination would be black text on a white background.

Eat well
Food also plays a very important role in the overall health of your eyes. One of the best food to eat is carrots that are super rich in vitamin A and lutein which are great for your eyes. Green leafy vegetables, eggs, salmon, and citrus fruits also help keep your eyesight sharp and healthy.

Read more: Best Eye Care Tips for Kids During Covid-19

Exercise your eyes
Just like your body, your eyes need exercise to keep it sharp and healthy. The most simple exercise you can follow is “20:20:20” which is every 20 minutes, spend 20 secs looking at something that is 20 meters away. This reduces fatigue and relaxes the focusing muscle present in your eyes.

Take frequent breaks
Due to the high workload given during the pandemic lockdown, we often spend hours at a stretch working and staring at the computer screen. This habit can have an irreversible impact on your eyes causing weak vision and eye strain. Hence you need to take regular breaks from your computer work.
Stretch your arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders to reduce muscle fatigue and tension.

Get a comprehensive eye exam
A comprehensive eye exam at least once a year is advised for everyone to check the eyes and take timely measures in case of any issues. Also if you are facing any issues like headache, neck pain, eye strain, blurry vision then you should immediately go for a comprehensive eye check-up.

To conclude although work from home has become a new norm, you still have to make sure you maintain a healthy lifestyle and take care of your eyes by following the tips mentioned above.

Living with coronavirus has become the new norm today as scientists are yet to develop an effective vaccine for it. Until it is developed you need to take all the precautions necessary. The most vulnerable population in this pandemic are children and aged people.

In this blog, I will share details on how to take care of your kids and specifically their eyes. I will share how coronavirus can affect the eyes, different types of eye strain and what can you do as a parent to make sure your children have healthy eyes as they grow up.

How Can Corona Virus Affect Your Eyes?

Coronavirus is a contagious disease and spreads through fluid coming out of the nose and mouth of the COVID-19 patient when he/she sneezes or coughs. This fluid can enter a healthy person’s body through the nose, mouth, and eyes.

Hence it is very important to cover your eyes, nose, and mouth whenever you are in a public space and avoid touching your eyes without washing or sanitizing your hands. Coronavirus can also cause pink eyes (conjunctivitis ) but the percentage is very less. In case you get those sore eyes, do not panic as it does not necessarily mean you have coronavirus. Get the eyes checked by your doctor to understand the exact cause.

Increase in Screen Time

The lockdown has kept the children away from school and confined to their homes which is good for family bonding but bad for the kids if they are spending a lot of time on the computer screen or TV.

The increased screen time adversely affects the children’s eyes due to lights emitting from the TV and computer screen. It also can weaken the children’s vision which could lead to wearing spectacles.

What is digital eye strain?

Digital eye strain is another side effect of prolonged exposure of eyes to digital devices like computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

When a person sits in front of a computer or any other digital device every day for a longtime then his/her eyes might start showing digital strain symptoms like blurry vision, headache, neck, and shoulder pain.

The digital eye strain can be reduced by following a simple 20-20-20 rule which is after every 20 minutes of digital screen time, the person should spend 20 seconds looking at something that is atleast 20 feet away. This helps the vision to relax and remove the strain caused by the digital screen.

If the eye strain persists, then you need to visit an ophthalmologist who can advise you on the right solution.

10 Most Effective Eye Care Tips for Children

Below mentioned are 10 most simple and effective eye care tips that every parent should follow to make sure their children have great eyesight as they grow.

Here is 10 most effective eye care tips for children.

• Prevention Should Be the First Line of Defence

As a parent, you need to focus on preventive measures rather than reactive measures. So whenever your kid is involved in activities that have even a 1% chance of injury, it is better to take all the precautions. For example, if the child is playing any outdoor sport then he/she should wear safety goggles. Similarly, during swimming, the child should wear swimming goggles as the pool water contains chlorine that can affect the eyes.

• Avoid Using Hard and Sharp Toys

Kids love their toys but sometimes these toys can also harm them. The toys that have sharp edges are especially dangerous as they can cause accidental injuries, especially to eyes. Hence whenever you buy toys, make sure they are soft and do not have any sharp edges.

• Don’t Apply Eye Cosmetics on Your Child

In Indian tradition,it is normal to apply kajal/soorma on your child’s eyes. This had a cultural and medical significance in the past as the kajal/soorma was made from natural ingredients. Today however the kajal/soorma or eyeliner for that matter hasharmful chemicals. So it is highly advised to refrain from using any cosmetics on your child’s eyes.

• Teach Your Kid to Stop Rubbing the Eyes Constantly

Whenever a child gets a feeling of itchiness in his/her eyes, the first response is always rubbing the eyes with hands. This does more harm than good as rubbing it causes the irritation to increase and in case of a foreign element in the eyes, it can scratch the surface of retina causing serious damage. Also if the kid’s hands are dirty, then those harmful bacteria can enter his/her eyes. So it is important to teach the kids to refrain from using hands to rub the eyes. Instead, they should be trained to wash theirhands andeyes with water which is the safest solution.

• Reduce Continued Exposure to Digital Devices

Kids love video games and they tend to play for a long time. This is again very harmful to their eyes as the light-emitting out of the digital devices like smartphones, tabletsare not good. Also during the process of playing games or watching cartoons, the eyes are constantly focused on certain points which can cause degradation in eyesight. This could lead to vision problems in the future.

• Keep a Good Distance from the Screen while Watching Television

Apart from games, kids also love to watch cartoons on television. In the process of getting a better experience, they tend to sit very close to the television set which can cause serious harm. To avoid this make the kids sit on a couch that is kept at a sufficient distance from the Tv. Also, make sure the room is well lit and the TV is not the only source of light as that can also harm the eyesight.

• Maintain a Balanced Diet that Supports Eye Development

Just like the body, a healthy diet helps in the improvement of eyesight. Include fruits like papaya, mangoes, and other fruits in your kid’s diet. These fruits are high in beta-carotene which plays an important role in the development of eyesight. Similarly, leafy vegetables and iron-rich foods help in developing sharp eyesight.

• Give the Eyes a Break and Get Enough Rest

Today kids spend around 6 hours in school looking at the blackboard and when they come home they are glued to TV or computer screen. This creates stress on their eyes which could lead to dark circles and weak vision in the long run. To avoid this make sure their eyes get sufficient rest. An evening walk in the park is better than a TV or computer screen. Also, make sure they sleep for atleast 8 hours at night.

• Make Use of Sunglasses When Stepping Out of the House

In summer kids like to go outdoors like the beach, park, etc. The UV lights emitting from the sun are at a higher level in summer which can affect your child’s eyesight. So wearing a sunglass protects them from UV light and also makes them look stylish.

• Undertake Regular Checkup of Eyes

It is suggested that you need to visit an ophthalmologist atleast once a year and get your kids eye checked. In case the child is complaining of blurry vision or irritation in eyes, you need to get it checked immediately to take corrective measures.

To conclude, children are very delicate while growing up and it is our duty as a parent to protect them during this time. If you follow the tips mentioned above along with a routine that is a mix of digital and outdoor activities with all the safety gear and precaution then your child will have healthy eyesight.