Journalism of Courage
Increased screen time — which has become a common phenomenon amid the pandemic — can lead to various eye problems. As such, it is extremely essential to take note of certain things while working on the computer, laptop, or scrolling on your mobile.
Dr Manoj Rai Mehta, an ophthalmologist who consults on Practo, shares some “golden rules” for good eye health and sharp eyesight.
7 good office habits
*Read and write while sitting in a comfortable chair with a straight back and neck and a lumbar support if required. Your hip and knee joints should bend at 90 degrees.
*There should be adequate direct light falling onto your books and papers coming from the front or right to left (when writing/reading in scripts that move left to right). This prevents shadows falling on the text to be read or written.
*No light should be coming towards the eyes directly as it causes glare and makes it difficult to read and write. The room should have diffuse background light and focused light at the work table.
*Working distance should be generally kept between 30 and 50 centimetres
*Top-end of the computer or laptop screen should be in the line of your eyes while you are sitting erect in your seat. You should not be looking up or down. The ergonomic arrangement is important.
*There should not be any reflections on the computer or laptop screen. No windows or light bulbs in the background. Wall with matte finish paint in the background is most appropriate.
*Take regular breaks from work. Reach into an open space with fresh air; walk 20 paces, take 20 large breaths, blink completely 20 times and look beyond 20 feet. Thus refresh yourself and get back to work. Lubricant eye drops may be used, preferably preservative-free.
7 good general habits
*Regular daily routine with adequate hours of sleep. Sleep in a darkened room, light filtering through eyelids does not give a restful sleep.
*Rinse your eyes in running water or filtered water before going off to sleep and after getting up in the morning. Wash your hands thoroughly and cup your hand to hold water and dip an eye into it and open lids. Repeat a couple of times with each eye for effective cleansing.
*Do not use “surma” or “kajal” on the inner side of the lid margin. Never share kohl pencils or any makeup items that are used around the eyes.
*A balanced diet that provides a sufficient daily requirement of Vitamin A is important. The daily requirement varies at different stages of life. Supplementation may be required if dietary insufficiency is detected. Food items rich in Vitamin A are – sweet potatoes, carrots, dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, dried apricots, tropical fruits (such as Mango), fish, liver meat etc.
*Avoid using eye drops from a bottle 15 days after opening and discard them when not required. Do not try to store them in the refrigerator for future use. Keep eye drops away from the makeup area where talcum powder, perfumes etc are kept. Keep the bottle cover on and do not touch the opening of the dropper. Always discard the first few drops of medicine when you start instilling eye drops from a bottle the next day.
*Remove your contact lenses immediately in case of redness, glare, frank discharge, excessive watering from the eyes, smarting, or pain. Do not ignore these signs
*In case a foreign body falls in an eye, do not rub the eye or try to remove it with a piece of cloth, cover it with a clean cotton pad or a sterile eye pad and report to an eye surgeon.
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