In this period of technology, we are all on our gadgets. Be it latest televisions, smartphones, laptops or health gears, our screen time has escalated from a mere 32 minutes to 11 hours a day, according to the latest study.

Technology fetches productivity. We are living in an era, wherein showcasing your skill takes a click as opposed to decades ago. So many You Tubers are sharing their expertise in technology, health and wellness, cooking etc. Great contribution of YouTube channels like Khan Academy has made learning simpler and accessible than ever. Poets like Nikita Gill earned fame through their writings on social media.

But as the old saying goes, every coin has two sides, technology has itas negatives too, one of it being our dependence on screens all day long, which leads to so many health problems.

Vision problems are reported concern due to excessive use of technology. Let's discuss it further and find out some easy steps to deal with it and save our health without impacting the productivity we gain.

Vision Problems

Prolonged screen time leads to a group of manifestations, otherwise known as Computer Vision Syndrome or digital eye strain. Take a minute and check yourself, if you have any of these symptoms.

Symptoms:

• Eye pain
• Headache
• Neck pain
• Shoulder strain
• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes

This problem is further aggravated by:

• Poor lighting
• Improper viewing distance
• Poor posture while working
• Glare on screen
• Vision problems that remain untreated

How Computer Vision Syndrome occurs?

To read what is written on a digital screen, eyes have to work a lot harder. Often the words in digital screens are not well defined; they are not that precise. This creates glare and reflection on screen making viewing difficult for our eyes.

How to prevent CVS?

There are a few easy steps to reduce eye strain:

• First and foremost, it is important to make sure that the lighting is proper in the room, which prevents you from staring into a screen. The anti-glare lens can also be used to prevent glaring.
• Adjust your computer screen in relation with your eyes, to reduce the overall strain on your body. Sitting at an arm's length or 25 inches away is the recommended viewing distance.
• One easy method of preventing eye strain is the 20-20-20 rule. Work for 20 minutes, then take a break for 20 seconds and look at something 20 feet away.
• For every 3 hours of indoors, close up work, 1 hour in sunlight and seeing far away objects are recommended to relieve strain.
• Two hours before bedtime, the usage of electronic devices should be reduced to prevent eye strain.
• Keep blinking; if you use a computer screen for a long time, you may not blink enough as you are concentrating on your work. It causes dry eyes and thus; consciously blink for a few times when working.
• Use natural rose water if your eyes feel itchy, too dry or irritated.

Diet and Nutrition for eye health

Having nutritious food can help a lot in having good vision. Researchers often link nutrients to preserving vision. It includes lutein, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Zinc to reduce the risk of eye diseases.

• Lutein is found in leafy vegetables; it helps in proper vision and also reduces the risk of chronic eye problems.
• Vitamin C is found in citric fruits; it helps in preventing cataract.
• Vitamin E is proved to prevent damage from free radicals. It is found in whole grains and nuts.
• Zinc helps to bring vitamin A from liver to retina to produce a protective pigment called melanin. It is found in nuts, seeds and legumes.
• Eating hydrating foods like raw fruits and veggies since a large portion of eyes is actually liquid.

Eye Exercises for tired eyes

• Palming: Warm your eyes with an effective technique called palming. Rub your hands to generate heat, form your hands into a cup shape and put in on your eyes for a few seconds. Do it for 3 to 5 times.
• Eye Rolling: Eye rolling is a great way to relax your eye muscles. It is very easy to perform; just roll your eyes around in circular motion.
• Trataka: Perform trataka, it's a great way to take your eyes away from the screen, do it once every hour. Simply look at a far object, focus on it without blinking for a few seconds until you can, and then close your eyes and relax.
• Blinks: Blink for 10 seconds after every hour. As emphasized above, while working, we do not blink fairly which causes dry eyes and irritation.

So, what would you do differently from today? Try following whichever guidelines appeal to you. Wish you a happy and healthy living. If you enjoyed this post, kindly share it with your friends and family to increase awareness towards eye health.

Thanks for reading, if you have got any doubts, comment below and I'll try my best to answer them :)

(About the author: I am Akansha Sharma, a 2nd-year medical student, pursuing Bachelors in Naturopathic Medicine and Yogic Science (BNYS). My interest in natural treatments for acute as well as chronic ailments and natural lifestyle brought me here. I hope I'll be able to convey whatever I have discovered throughout my journey to make people aware of the benefits of natural living.)