Digitalization has swallowed the world much faster than expected. The pandemic further catalyzed the walk on digitalization journey of people. It is believed that 32% of the Indian population owns a mobile phone and 560 million use the internet. This makes India the second largest online market place, right after China.

It is estimated that by 2023 India will have a whopping 650 million internet user, stastista.com. We should also be accounting for the population that uses internet on the computers, nearly 8 hours a day! The constant staring at screens and the white light glare is causing intense damage to the most important organ of our body, the eyes.

A surge in eye issues in the younger population 

At MaxiVision, we as eye care providers have witnesses a surge in eye issues in the population under 25 years of age. This is more so for people working in the Information Technology field. As a result of this we had special departments for computer vision syndrome, to address the vision defects, and related orthopedic issues because of improper ergonomics.

We recommend the special use of ARC Glasses (Anti-reflective coated) glasses for computer users, and teach them proper ergonomics and eye exercises while working long hours in front of computers.  What we observed as eye specialists is that users are addicted to their digital devices even when not on their official work duties.

Digital addiction is more lethal than a drug addiction. There are multiple issues related to digital addiction. Digital Addiction is defined as a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry.  Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social, and spiritual manifestations.  This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviours”.

Symptoms of digital addiction such as increased loneliness (also called “phoneliness”), anxiety and depression were observed in a sample of university undergraduates who completed a survey about smartphone use during and outside of class.  Other observations included observations of “I Neck” (poor) posture as well as how multitasking/semi tasking was prevalent in the sample.

A range of medical issues can result from digital addictions that can affect your health:

1. No Sense of Ergonomics:

Corona has probably made lot of ‘couch potatoes’ than before. People spending more time on digital, on Television effect the sitting position, or sleeping positions. So even if you have to spend more time on Television or computer systems, or talking hours together on mobile phones, please choose a proper seating, sit erect, take frequent breaks, and also do small exercises post these sessions to keep your back pain or neck pain at bay.

2. Vision Health

Three devices which are an essential part of our day to day life need to be used well to protect your vision health

Mobile Phones: All mobile phones, computer screens emit radiation. The radiation level, also called the SAR value (specific absorption rate), is the unit of measurement for the quantity of electromagnetic energy that is absorbed by the body when using a cordless device (mobile, tablet, cordless phone, etc.). The SAR value of a mobile device controls the heat the device generates but does not protect you from the adverse health effects on the human body that are caused by the nature of these radiations. Too much screen time can wreck your eyes. Smart phones, laptops, and other handheld devices all transmit light. Only option is to reduce your screen time.

Computers & Laptops: Using a laptop exposes you to Electromagnetic Fields (or EMFs)–basically radio waves that emanate from electronic devices and create a magnetic field. These can be refereed as “Laptop radiation” (though not technically). The heat radiating from your laptop can actually damage your skin. Researchers say the skin discoloration can be permanent, and in rare cases it can cause damage leading to certain skin cancers. Blocking the heat from your laptop can be equally important for male fertility. The heat produced by laptops is definitely not sperm-friendly. If you want healthy sperm count, keep that laptop heat away!

Televisions : LED TVs really are good for your eyes. As reported by TV, gaming and media publication FlatpanelsHD, TÜV Rheinland found that LG Display’s OLED panels passed its tests for flicker, while further tests have found the panels to be almost flicker-free. A 4K display is no more likely to cause eyestrain than a 1080p alternative. In fact, its greater clarity is an asset. Eyestrain can still occur, but if it does it’s because of excessive brightness, improper positioning or other factors, not the resolution.

3. Behavioural issues:

There have been certain adverse behavioural conditions in people using excessive digital devices.  To elaborate a few,

• Often people feel the need to engage with digital devices even if it is inappropriate or dangerous for them to do so. Results in damage to brain systems connecting emotional processing, attention, and decision-making are affected.
• Internet addiction alters the volume of the brain. The brain changes are similar to those produced by alcohol and cocaine addiction. It shrinks the brain’s grey and white matter fibres which results in changes to emotional processing and brain functioning.
• Many people use social media to facilitate communication with friends and family. However, for others, it has further isolated them from human contact. Technology has hindered people’s ability to think. Children addicted to video games may make quick decisions but they also have been unable to control their aggression and impulses.
• The surge of technological gadget use has made human lives increasingly digital. In fact, according to a recent study by Microsoft Corporation, the human attention span has shortened from 12 seconds to 8 seconds in more than a decade due to digital technology.
• Too much exposure to computer screens makes it harder for tech addicts to fall asleep. This is due to excessive use of technology that leads to anxiety and depression, especially among the youth.

4.. Effects on Kids:

Technology has affected kids adversely. These days, loneliness, depression, anxiety, stress, attention deficit disorders and inability to concentrate inability to make decisions due to numerous options available online are some of the issues rampant in kids. Lifestyle changes like irregular bedtimes, the use of alcohol and tobacco, irregular dietary behaviour due to the loss of appetite, a high frequency of skipping meals and snacking too have been observed.  All the above might cause imbalances in nutritional intake and stunted growth and development.

Conclusion

Digitalisation has eased our lives but it has come with its own sets of adverse effects. Unfortunately, these adverse effects have a far reaching consequence on the essential health of human life and hence effective warning definitely needs to be sounded off to concerned sections of the society and the population at large. Eyes they say are the windows to your soul, we ought to protect them. Safeguard your eyes, safeguard your body.

Mr. Sudheer – COO (L)
Ms. Keerthy Reddy – AVP (People & Culture)(R)
Maxi Vision Eye Hospitals group
Hyderabad.

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• Panel suggests allotting hours of the day to work, family, partner and solitude.
• Establish personal boundaries through solution oriented open conversations with family.
• Experts say, isolating oneself while facing a job loss can be disastrous for mental health.

New Delhi, 27 August, 2020: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), one of the apex trade associations of India concluded the fourth edition of the ‘Illness to Wellness’ series themed ‘Mental Health and Wellness During COVID-19’. The event saw an expert panel of mental health experts invited to hold dialogue, make suggestions on establishing corrective mental health practices like seeking safe social support, establishing daily routine and indulging in open conversations. Supported by the hygiene brand SAVLON, the programme which promotes healthy living with focus on wellness and preventive health through healthy habits, diet, exercise, and holistic health saw the speakers actively engage on the best steps to establish proactive boundaries and active living in a family.

Effect of COVID-19 on mental health :

Mr. Anil Rajput, Chairman, ASSOCHAM CSR Council, highlighting the effect of COVID-19 on mental health said, “COVID-19 did not just affect the economic, social and individual health of the people, but also mental health in a very extreme way. This has led to an increase in anxiety, fear and impending sense of doom for a large number of otherwise healthy people. With work from home being then new normal, for many months, the whole family ecosystem has been disturbed and created new challenges for people. The reality is a that man is a social animal and when people are unable to engage socially, a mechanism to bring in a new ecosystem to facilitate that communication is extremely important to ensure sound mental health. People also need to rearrange themselves and balance work along with keeping good mental and physical health.”

Speaking on how establishing personal boundaries at home has become both challenging and unavoidable, Dr Murali Rao, Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Behavorial Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Centre, Chicago and Medical Director, Mindful TMS Neurocare, said, “This situation has destroyed boundaries. Previously, people used to get up, get dressed, take transportation and go to their workplace. The travel to time used to give them the time needed to shift from home mode to work mode. When they were coming back, it would give them the time to plan and think about home and vice versa. There were clear boundaries. Now with work from home, partners have different work timing, then there are children, cooking and other activities. The timings are messed up, those who organize well are performing well, but majority of people are not organized. No wonder people are ready to go out and go back to organized living.” He also added that they best way to bring an organization to life is by following four thumb rules — adequate sleep, ample exercise, nutritious food intake and stress management.

Dr. Prakriti Poddar, Managing Trustee of Poddar Foundation suggesting a probable breakup of the day for a working individual said, “Account your day, the way you account your money. We have to account the energy and time on our hand. Of course we have a certain 8-9 working hours but there also needs to be one hour with entire family, sometime as a couple together and of course the me time of 30-35 minutes.”

She reiterated how boundaries can be effectively established through open conversations with family. She said, “Most people have never established their personal boundaries in India as they never have a conversation around it. When the pandemic occurred, even working women were put in archaic roles where they felt they were not being understood. They had never had an open conversation about their boundaries. This is why it is important to have a solution focused conversation with family where you may have a problem, but they can also participate in coming up a solution. The family is also part of the solution and this can be enabled by making sure the family and children are also part of the conversation. These will help build boundaries that are catered to by the family.”

Exponential rise in anxiety and depression :

COVID-19 saw large scale job losses across all sectors globally and nationally leading to exponential rise in anxiety and depression owning to the uncertainty created by unemployment. Dr. Shamsher Dwivedee, Chairman Neurosciences and Director of Clinical Services, VimhansNayati Super Specialty Hospital highlighted the importance of being in the company of trusted friends and family when faced by a job loss. “When you are going through a phase where you have lost a job, one step is to not stay and brood alone. Try to be in a company, be with friends who you consider financially and otherwise wise. They will give you the way to get about it. Staying alone when you have lost a job is a recipe for a disaster as the mind will focus on all things negative whereas a wise friend will pull you out of it,” he said.

Speaking about the changes brought about by COVID-19, he said that it has provided a natural lifestyle experiment where people have been granted a relatively laidback lifestyle with less traffic, stress, rage and reduced surge of adrenaline all of which leads to cardiovascular issues.

Dr. Swati Chawla, Psychologist, Health and Wellness expert focusing on healthy steps to take to overcome the challenge of a job loss, said, “People should accept the reality and then work to understand their strengths and weaknesses. They need to move forward by keeping their skills updated, finding out areas they can work on and aim for their next career step. They can list down probable job opportunities and explore roles beyond the scope of their current jobs. There are many organisations who have the portal to help those who have lost their job, the government is also contributing in this respect. People should ideally have help and support from a mental health expert to help balance themselves and work to bounce back.”

She further added that the pandemic has presented the perfect opportunity for organisations to showcase empathetic leadership where they develop a better understanding of the challenges posed by the pandemic on their employee’s lives. For organization planning on downsizing, she suggested that they should responsibly ensure that employees are adequately mentally prepared to lose their jobs and not just throw the news to them as a surprise. The session was moderated by Dr.Divakashi Sharma, Clinical Psychologist, Mindful TNS Neurocare who raised pertinent questions before the panellists to keep the conversation relevant and topical to the discussion. Dr. Sharma also added to the vast professional knowledge shared by the panellists by sharing anecdotes from her experiences as a practicing clinical psychologist.

Also Read: STRESS MANAGEMENT DURING COVID-19

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