The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : None can turn a blind eye to this Health & Lifestyle

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Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

None can turn a blind eye to this Health & Lifestyle

Ramya Kannan

CHENNAI: Are headaches, eye irritation and blurred vision wearing you down? If you spend long hours serenading a computer monitor or even a cell phone display screen, it is probable you have what opthalmologists call “Dry eyes.”

Dry eyes can also be caused by severe drug allergies, infections, pollution and thyroid disorders among other conditions, doctors say it is certainly more common among those who use the computers for hours at a stretch. Increasingly, even cell phones that are complete personal digital assistants seem to add to the problem.

This is how it works, explains Amar Agarwal of Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital: Normally, the lacrimal gland, or tear gland, secretes tears that lubricate the eye, moving across the surface of the cornea, keeping it moist so that refraction of light is optimal.

“Tears move across the eye when we blink. However, staring at a computer monitor for hours at a stretch means we blink less. This means there is less lubrication for the cornea. This distorts vision and also causes irritation and dry eyes. Soon, the quantity of fluids secreted also reduces,” Dr. Agarwal adds.

Now, more often than ever before, he says he is seeing a lot of people who use their mobile phones to view downloaded content are also reporting dry eyes. Ophthalmologists even have a name for this: Computer Vision Syndrome.

Computer Vision Syndrome

“CVS is defined as eye and vision problems experienced during or related to computer use,” Mohan Rajan of Dr. Rajan’s Eye Care Hospital adds. He says 50- 60 per cent of those who use computers in India have discomfort due to CVS and 42 per cent, dry eyes.

Using prescribed artificial tears solutions, plugging the lachrymal canal so that tears are retained in the eye and taking pills to increase secretion of tears are ways in which dry eyes can be medically managed.

If the cornea is badly damaged, transplantation may be necessary.

But there is no need to panic if indeed you are calling for all the above listed symptoms.

“We are not telling people to stop using computers - that would be absurd. We are only saying use computers rationally,” Dr. Agarwal explains.

Computers have become indispensable in the workplace and most people spend increasing amounts of time sitting at the computer work-station, taking less and less breaks than before.

Here are some tips that might save you the trouble and keep your eyes moist.

Dr. Rajan says it is important to place the screen at least 20-28 inches away from your eyes and eliminate reflections from the screen.

The monitor must not be excessively bright and must be kept clean.

Good lighting design can significantly help reduce discomfort due to glare; indirect lighting in which the light is bounced off the ceiling – resulting in a large low luminance source of light for the room – would be ideal.

He recommends that someone with dry eyes can wear a visor for a couple of days to estimate the effect of lighting on eye discomfort.

Dr. Agarwal says even as you sit in front of your computer, it is important to take frequent breaks.

“After every hour, take a break. Close your eyes, put your palms over your eye and press them gently. Rest your hands on a cushion placed on your thigh. Remain so for two or three minutes – this will moisten the eye. At the end of it, you will be good to go.”

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