World Sight Day 2024: Protect your eyes with these simple daily habits

As young professionals, in the digital -driven world, you often experience a common but overlooked issue; eye strain. After hours spent staring at screens, you might feel a subtle discomfort behind your eyes, a dull headache creeping in, or an urge to rub your dry, tired eyes. These are all classic symptoms of eye strain, a condition caused by prolonged screen exposure and a lack of proper care.

Eye strain, or digital eye strain, occurs when the eyes are overworked from staring at screens or focusing on a single task for too long. The result is blurry vision, headaches, dry eyes, and sometimes even neck and shoulder pain, says, Dr Thanuja Gopal Pradeep, Associate Professor & Consultant at Ramaiah Memorial Hospital. "Screen exposure, especially when sustained, puts stress on eye muscles, leading to discomfort and fatigue, which if unchecked, can cause more serious conditions," she adds.

Dr Pradeep suggests these essential tips that will you prevent eye strain and protect your eyesight:

• Distance matters: Maintain a healthy distance between eyes and screen. Aim for about an arm's length, ensuring the top of the screen aligns with the eye level. This minimises strain on eye muscles, preventing unnecessary fatigue.

• Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, it is advisable to shift focus away from the screen and concentrate on an object at least 20 feet away for a full 20 seconds. This easy-to-remember exercise relaxes eye muscles and combats eye fatigue.

• Step away from the screen: Throughout the day, prioritise short breaks to physically step away from workstations. Use this time to stretch, move around, and give eyes a break from constant digital glare. Even a quick 5-minute walk can work wonders for eye health and overall well-being.

• Don't forget to blink: It's easy to fall into the habit of staring at screens without blinking enough, leading to dry, irritated eyes. Make a conscious effort to blink regularly and consider using artificial tears to maintain lubrication, especially in dry office settings.

• Prioritise regular eye test: Don't wait for vision problems to arise. Schedule regular eye exams with eye care professionals to detect and address any potential issues early on.