In our practice we are seeing many patients of IT back ground with various health problems ranging from physical illness to emotional and psychological problems.According to an article in Computer World magazine there will be over 5.2 million software professionals in India and it is increasing. Increases in number of software professionals means increase in health problems. Clinical studies done in India have found that software engineers who work long hours suffer mostly from musculoskeletal problems, eye problems and psychosocial issues.

Common Health Problems

1. Lower Back Pain: This is probably the most common problem suffered by IT professionals.  Almost 80% of people who spend more than 8 hours in front of a computer which can lead to great stress on bony joints and cartilages of back leading to back pain. The problem lies in wrong posture and not taking frequent breaks in between the work. On a long run persistent stress & strain on the bone and ligaments leads to structural changes in the back bone thus leading to a chronic back pain.To prevent back pain refer the picture in this article that demonstrates the right posture while working in front of computer.

2.Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(CTS): I had a patient who was an IT professional who was diagnosed to be suffering with CTS. she was in such as bad condition that she was unable to lift or hold even tea cup with her hand, and her hand muscles had become so thin and weak. She became alright after few months of treatment. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition where a nerve known as median nerve that passes through the wrist gets compressed due to constant but restricted movement of the wrist joint. The tendon inflammation resulting from repetitive work, such as uninterrupted typing, can cause carpal tunnel symptoms. Carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive maneuvers like uninterrupted typing has been referred to as one of the repetitive stress injuries.

Symptoms of CTS:

• Numbness and tingling of the hand, thumb, index, middle, and thumb side of the ring fingers.
• Pain is worse at night & person may have sleepless nights.
• As disease advances—Burning sensation, weakness of hand.
• Decreased grip strength leading to frequent dropping of objects from the hand.
• Occasionally, sharp shooting pains can be felt in the forearm.
• Chronic carpal tunnel syndrome can also lead to wasting (atrophy) of the hand muscles, particularly those near the base of the thumb in the palm of the hand.

How to Prevent CTS:

• Frequent stretches and bending of wrists can loosen up the tight tissues, improve blood flow and reduce pain and stiffness.
• Keep your keyboard at a height where the elbow is at 90 degrees to the table. Keep your elbows close to your side. Keep your arms rested on the arm rest with your forearms parallel to the ground.
• Using gel pads to support the base of your palm is okay for a short while, but not for long. The altered angle due to the gel pads can worsen CTS.
• Adjust the position of your keyboard as well so that it is comfortable to type.
• Don’t sit and type for hours, take short breaks in between and exercise the joints of your hand.

3.Anxiety and Stress: Targets and deadlines! Hearing these two words is enough to induce stress and anxiety in most of IT professionals. I have seen some of my IT patients and friends who work for 18-20 hrs a day, even in weekends to meet the set goals. As per a recent survey published in a psychological journal, IT professionals and people who are addicted to internet were more likely to develop depression.  Depression can greatly affect quality of life. It also can have a negative impact on personal relationships as well.

Tips to avoid/minimize anxiety & stress:

• Don’t carry your work to home, limit your work to work place only.
• Limit your use of the internet when at home. Instead, use the time to spend with family or take up a hobby.
• Exercise is of course a great way to ward off stress, I advise my patients group events like cricket, badminton, foot ball etc rather than monotonous activities like running, swimming, cycling etc. I have observed that group events are more beneficial as it helps people to interact with each other, and helps to forget their stress and worries; it relaxes both your body and mind.
• Yoga and relaxation therapies are also an effective way to keep stress and anxiety levels low. The Pranayama is believed to be very helpful.

4. Heart Diseases: Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. Too much sitting also seems to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Guidelines to prevent Heart diseases:

1.Avoid sitting for long hours, make sure you get up once every 15 to 20 minutes.

2.Go for a short walk around the office taking some break from work.

3.Once you finish work, indulge in a good exercise program.

4.You could go for a walk or a jog or even hit the gym if you are a member.

5. Insomnia: Insomnia or difficulty sleeping is one of the common health problems seen in software professionals. This is encountered more in people work in night shifts, as their normal sleep rhythm is disturbed and their day time sleep is poor & inadequate. A study in Finland found that 16% of IT professionals who work late develop insomnia. Another study looking at 91 software engineers in India found that 35% of them had mild insomnia while 21% had severe insomnia. Staring at a bright screen (be it your laptop or mobile) late into the night can alter the release of the sleep chemical melatonin. As time passes, the release of this hormone alters permanently, leading to chronic insomnia.

Guidelines to prevent Insomnia:

• Try to get at least 6 hours of sleep (recommended is 8 hrs),
• Switch off tv and mobile phone once you hit the bed.
• Use dim lights in bed room and read a book if needed.

6. Neck Pain: Sitting for hours in same posture and staring at a computer screen can cause neck pain, which can later develop into neck stiffness. It is not just the staring at the screen for long hours that causes the problem; placing the phone in between your ears and your shoulder is also a trigger for neck problems (Call center workers, Stock brokers). In a research study it was found that 59% of WRMSDs (Work related musculoskeletal disorders) reported annually by IT professional in India, out of which 30% cases are of neck pain.

Guidelines to prevent getting Neck pain:

• Right posture while sitting is most important.
• If using a laptop, use adequate support to keep the computer elevated at eye level.
• Avoid using mobile phones for long hours. If you do, use a hands free kit instead of holding onto the phone all the time.
• As mentioned previously it is important to keep moving and avoid static postures.

7. Computer vision syndrome: Those who spend most of their time staring at a computer screen are prone to suffer with a condition called as computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome is characterized by dry eyes, red eyes, sensitivity to glare, pain around the eyes, headache and overall fatigue. Nearly 7 out of 10 people who spend 8 to 12 hours a day staring at a computer screen will develop eye problems. Around 80% of individuals with eye problems hail from the IT profession, according to a report  in Times of India.

To prevent Eye strain

• Follow the  20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from the computer screen at an object around 20 feet away for duration of 20 seconds.
• Using anti-glare screen covers can reduce eye strain significantly and reduce your chances of developing computer vision syndrome
• Avoid using your computer in a dark room.

8. Deep vein thrombosis : Deep vein thrombosis refers to a condition where blood clots form in the deeper veins in the legs. It is one of the usual health problems in software professionals. Usually the impure blood (deoxygenated) in our legs is pumped back to heart and then lungs for purification (oxygenation) this is a regular ongoing process; sitting for long hours without any activity can make blood to stagnate in the blood vessels of our legs which lead to clot formation. This can lead to development of a condition known as Deep vein thrombosis.

According to a report in New Scientist, clot formation in the calf muscles in computer users is now called ‘e-thrombosis’. This term was coined after a computer enthusiast developed a clot that broke off and migrated to his lungs.Blood clots may lead to death when they dislodge from their sit of origin (leg veins) and travel up and settle in the major vessels of lung (pulmonary embolism) resulting in blockage of blood circulation to vital organs.

 To prevent Deep vein thrombosis:

• Keep moving about. Don’t remain seated in one position all the time.
• Take a short walks often, this will help the blood circulate from your leg back to your heart.

How Homoeopathy can be helpful?

Majority of the health issues faced by IT professionals can be effectively treated by using Homeopathy medicines. It has holistic approach towards patient which means treating patient as a whole and not his specific disease or parts of body. These medicines not only help in relieving the suffering of the patient but also stimulate and strengthen the immune system of the body. Homeopathy medicines not only relieve the physical sufferings but also act on the level of mind and help the patient to adopt himself to the challenging situations in work place or anywhere else without getting much stressed, thus a harmony (balance) is established.

In our clinics we have effectively treated many patients from IT back ground suffering with  low backache, dryness of eyes, carpel tunnel syndrome, anxiety, depression, Insomnia, neck pain etc….IT professionals and other professionals who spend many hours in front of computers are very prone to developing various health problems, which can be prevented if right, corrective steps are taken early. Homeopathy as a holistic system of medicine can play a major role in relieving the suffering of these people as it is cost effective, non-invasive, non addictive and there are no side-effects from Homoeo medicines.

Dr. Tejaswi K.P.
Reader- Dept. of Surgery, Bhagwan Buddha Homeo Medical college, Bangalore
Consultanat- Surabhi Homoeo clinic, Vidyaranyapura, Bangalore-97
Mob-97311 33819    Email-drtejas2000@rediffmail.com

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Teaching is a demanding profession which involves intense close work such as reading, writing, correcting papers, preparing lessons, or working in front of a computer screen for long periods of time. This strain can manifest as symptoms of eye fatigue which include eye irritation, blurred or double vision, dryness or excessive tears, headache, difficulty focusing, light sensitivity, or pain in the neck, shoulders, or back.

In today’s hectic and fast paced lifestyle, stress is an inevitable partner for most of us, along with a lot of other pressures and tensions. All these factors adversely affect your body and also your eyes and eyesight too. Taking special care of eyes is very significant during these changing times, so that healthy and powerful eyes can guide you even during old age.

For protecting your eyes in the best form, natural eye care is the best solution. As teachers, it is important for you to look after your health so that you can face classroom challenges head-on. The following tips can help reduce the chance of developing eye problems and disorders and keep your eyes and vision healthy in the years to come.

1. Make your working environment comfortable – Ensure there is adequate lighting to support classroom activities such as reading, writing on blackboard, presentations, coaching on the computer, tests, project work, etc.

2.Follow the 20-20-20 rule to avoid eye strain when you are working on a computer. Every 20 minutes, look at an object that is 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds.

3. Blink frequently (14 to 16 times a minute) to keep the front surface of the eye moist and minimize your chance of developing dry eye when using a computer.

4. Special spectacles or contact lens designs with tints or coatings that reduce the effects of extended computer viewing may help to maximize visual abilities and comfort.

5. Visit your eye doctor regularly to help protect sight. If you are over the age of 40, dilated eye exams every couple of years can help detect diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration in their early stages.

6. Eat right for good eye health – A diet rich in citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, eggs, nuts, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein and zinc, can help ward off age-related vision problems like macular degeneration and cataracts.

7. Ensure that you rest your eyes properly by getting a good night’s sleep. Inadequate sleep may contribute to eye fatigue, puffy and dry eyes, eye spasms, popped eye vessels and dark circles. Good sleep (7-8 hours) rests the eye muscles and provides the necessary fluid circulation.

8. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight – Regular exercise stimulates the entire body, lowers your odds of obesity, and can reduce your chances of developing serious eye diseases such as diabetes (which can lead to diabetes-related eye disorders and blindness), glaucoma, and macular degeneration.

9. Wear sunglasses when out doors to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of UV light. Too much UV exposure increases your chance of cataracts and macular degeneration.

10. Make sure you drink sufficient water to avoid dehydration – which can lead to reduced tear production, dry eye, eye strain, blurred vision and headaches.

11. Be aware of your family’s eye health history– as some eye disorders are hereditary. This will help to determine if you are at higher risk for developing a hereditary eye disease or condition.

Avoiding computer eye strain

• Have your eyes checked regularly.
• Re-position the computer.
• Follow guidelines for good posture.
• Ensure proper lighting and Reduce glare.
• Blink frequently to prevent dry eyes.
• Take regular work breaks.
• Clean the monitor regularly.

Also Read: What is Computer vision syndrome and how to reduce the effects?

Dr. Bhujang Shetty – Chairman 
Narayana Nethralaya
121/C , 1st ‘R’ Block, Chord Road
Rajaji Nagar
Bangalore – 560010
Ph: o8o-6612 1401-1402

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The COVID 19 pandemic has maximized the digital device usage among people of all age groups. Working professionals and students have switched to remote work and schooling to avoid stepping out of the house and minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus. But the remote working and online learning have increased the strain on the eyes due to increased screen time.

Many complain about eye related problems:

The work from home concept has made us increase our work hours due to time flexibility. Also, online classes have made children spend more time using devices like laptops and mobiles. After the school hours, kids are glued to the TV or computer again as they cannot step out for any outdoor activities. Due to this many complain about eye related problems.

Digital eye strain occurs as the eyes have to focus and refocus all the time. Eyes always react to images that are constantly moving by shifting focus and communicating rapidly varying images to the brain. This can strain eye muscles. Due to the focus required, one starts blinking less frequently leading to dryness in the eye and blurred vision. Digital eye strain may not cause permanent eye damage however it can create discomfort and pain while working.

Factors, such as screen or font size, glare, luminosity and contrast, viewing distance or angle, all can increase discomfort and exacerbate vision problems. Blurry vision, headaches, neck pain and eye dryness are the indications that your eyes need rest. And these signs and factors can be handled if proper tips are followed while exposed to screen time.

Few healthy practices that one can follow:

1. Position your screen correctly: Top line of the computer screen should be 15-20 degrees below eye level (or about 4-5 inches) and put the screen directly in front of you and at least 20 inches away.

2. Think about lighting: Tilt or position the computer screen in a way that it minimizes glare from overhead lighting or windows, and if there’s no way to cut glare, consider using an anti-glare screen to decrease reflected light.

3. Correct your posture: Adjust your chair height so that your feet are resting flat on the floor, back is straight and wrists aren’t strained while typing.

4. Remember to blink: To minimize dry or discomfort in eyes when using your computer, be sure to blink frequently to keep the ocular surface moist.

5. Take frequent breaks: It is advised to take at least 20 seconds break every 20 minutes while working on your computer. Every 20 minutes look at an object which is 20 feet away and stare at it for 20 seconds. Allow your eyes a chance to refocus. For every two hours of continuous computer use, consider resting your eyes for 15 minutes. Every 20 minutes look at an object which is 20 feet away and stare at it for 20 seconds.

Additionally, it is suggested to take font size and distance into consideration while using any device. Ensure the screen is large enough for the task at hand, opt for a tablet or desktop screen over a smartphone when reading small fonts, or consider a larger screen when viewing large amounts of content. Maintaining an appropriate eye to screen distance while working. Visit your eye specialist as soon as you develop any irritation, dryness, pain or discomfort in your eyes.

Dr. Mridula P
Consultant- Ophthalmology
Columbia Asia Hospital
Hebbal, Bengaluru

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Each year, the 16^th day of October is celebrated as ‘World Spine Day’ to create awareness about the burden of spinal pain and disability around the world and also to motivate people to adopt healthy routines to make their spine strong, active and flexible. This year is however unique, with the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent social restrictions creating an unprecedented lockdown on everyone’s routine and interests to stay active and mobile.

Work from home effects on spinal health

Also work from home has its own limitations, with the majority having insufficient or improper facilities to comfortably work from home for prolonged duration, which could have detrimental effects on spinal health and strength. As the world prepares for the ‘new normal’ and shifts gear to recover from this pandemic, it is only prudent that we give requisite care to restore and maintain our spinal health.

It is with these thoughts that the theme for this year’s World Spine Day has been aptly kept as “Back on Track”, which not only encourages people to reactivate and revitalize their bodies by stepping out but also highlights the importance of Exercise, Posture, Movement and Good self-care to ensure a strong and healthy spine.

Here are a few tips to follow to take care of one’s spine –

 Maintain a good posture:

1. Choose a comfortable seating with adequate back support. A small pillow/ rolled towel can be kept behind the small of your back

2. Neck should be straight with screen at same height as eyes while using a desktop.

3. While using a laptop, neck should be straight with eyes looking down at the screen

4. For a standing desk, Counter should be at mid-tummy level with screen at same level as eyes and weight should be evenly distributed on both legs with ankle, knees, hips, shoulders and ears in a straight vertical line. A small foot rest can be used intermittently to rest one of the feet.

See the video: Computer vision syndrome

Take Frequent breaks while working:

Maintaining a perfect posture for a long time can also be harmful, and hence it is important to take frequent breaks. Ideally, the ‘break’ should be at least for 5-10 mins every hour. It is important to move around or (if you are enthusiastic) do light stretches during this break. Whatever you do, avoid sitting again during these ‘breaks’.

Regular Exercises:

The importance of regular exercises for improving your overall spine health cannot be emphasized enough. Regular and simple exercises (Spinal mobilization and core/ Extensor strengthening) can not only keep your spine healthy, flexible and strong; but also helps to mitigate a lot of negative effects of prolonged sitting and poor posture. In essence, regular exercises can help the spine in withstanding day-to-day wear and tear and stresses to an extent that may not be possible otherwise.

Responsible lifting (Think and Plan before you Lift):

1. One of the commonest reasons why develop acute back pain is when they try to lift an object in a way they are not supposed to, either because of its weight or position.

2. Bend your knees to pick up objects from the floor.

3. Hold the object close to the body, preferably at level of waist.

4. Don’t twist while lifting.

5. Most importantly – Know your limits!

Dr. Umesh Srikantha
Consultant and Head of Spine Services,
Aster RV Hospital

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Since the pandemic hit the world, people were restrained from their routine and were subjected to lockdown for a long period of time and during this period, the use of digital media has increased tremendously in the form of work from home, online studies, watching movies/ web series and uncontrolled social media usage hiking the already existing overuse that has been a concern in the recent times.

This escalation, the reasons behind it and conscious efforts to reduce the usage of digital media is intriguing and thus a survey among the general population would give insights into many details. This survey worked around the total use of digital media and the symptoms persisting in the responders mainly including the effects on eyes and spine that have a grievous direct effect due to increased screen time. It also reviewed the awareness of the concerned population about the measures to prevent damage.

Effects on eyes and spine  due to increased screen time

The survey yield conclusions that are worthy of our attention as certain alarming outcomes have been discovered that are amendable for a healthier life. The majority of the population belonged to the age group of 18-30 years who spent most of their time in front of the screen unaware of the ideal distance that should be maintained to avoid the damage to eyes. Those who worked from home were mandated to spend most of their time working on the computers, careless about the postures they maintained for awfully long hours.

This resulted in the appearance of symptoms like red eyes, watering of eyes, headache, puffiness of eyes, dry eyes, neck pain, backaches and difficulty in inducing sleep. These are classical for computer vision syndrome which can be a forerunner of many eye infections and vision related problems on a long-term basis. Another discovery was that sustained exposure to blue light of the screens could lead to impaired retinal cells further leading to Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD) which causes blurred vision. AMD is a merely manageable condition with nocure !

Increase in backaches and neck pain -“Text Neck  Syndrome ”

This survey would assist ophthalmologists in dealing with patients exhibiting related complaints after lockdown by making them consider these etiological factors and screen time to treat them and manage the possible risks. Another major health hazards are spine related problems like “Text Neck  Syndrome ”, kyphosis and other posture related problems which are a result of incorrect posture as well as latency of the posture for very long durations. Patients complaining of backaches and neck pain should be screened early for better prognosis.

These conclusions drawn from the survey not only help us in knowing what is next to come but also in strategizing on how to deal with it in the post lockdown period. Certain measures if implemented will greatly affect the outcomes of these potentially life altering health hazards as the factors causing these ill effects can be vastly revamped by small efforts on an individual as well as community basis.

To accelerate the process of preventing the negative impact of lockdown, awareness programs should be planned and executed for everyone to understand the atrocious effects that will impact their whole lives from their usage of digital media. Ophthalmologists and Optometrists should also conduct eye screening programs to not only detect the disease early but also to take the early preventive measures and reduce the damage already caused.

In this era where so much knowledge about everything is available at the fingertips, people still fail to imbibe healthier habits and mitigate the ones that will be life threatening in the long run. Hence such surveys followed by awareness campaigns can be the swords in our long battle to achieve a healthy life.

Prventive measures to protect your eyes and spine during lockdown

1. If you have spectacles while at home wear spectacles as it filters the blue light of the screen more efficiently than lenses.

2. Keep the mobile at a distance of minimum 25 cms from your eyes.

3. Be at a distance of minimum 50 cms from the computer/ laptop screen i.e. at least an arm’s length away.

4. Adjust the brightness of the screen according to the brightness of the surrounding and never read in dim light.

1. 20-20-20 rule:

Take a 20 second break, every 20 minutes and concentrate on an object 20 feet away from you. Keep your focus on the object for a while and then relax your eyes. This trick will not only prevent your eyes from a digital strain but will also make them exercise from time to time.

2. Eye exercises:

These are simple to do. Look left to right two times with your eyes closed and then do the same looking up and down. Then, look at something further away and focus on it while you count to 10 then look at something close while you count to 10. Do this five times. Doing these exercises can help to strengthen your eye muscles.

3. Be aware of your posture.

4. Social media updates

Ideal time for social media updates, videos and movies should be maximum 2 hours continuously.

Fact:

The blue light from your screen is an artificial color that mimics daylight. Exposure to blue light can affect your internal body clock and throw off your circadian rhythm. This rhythm is in tune to light and dark. It’s why you feel more tired at night when the sun starts to set and why you feel more energized in the morning when it’s light. Adding in your screen’s artificial blue light right before bed disrupts your body’s internal clock and rhythm as it suppresses melatonin working to maintain this rhythm.

Never eat in front of the screen as it may become a habit over time.

To sum up everything :

If you have any eye related symptoms do any of thefollowing to relieve them:

1. Warm compresses- Dip a cloth into warm water, close your eyes and place the warm cloth over them for a few minutes.This can also help to alleviate dry eyes. Of course, getting adequate sleep is a way to relax your tired eyes.

2. An age-old trick that still come handy is cucumber eye patch. If you feel your eyes getting heavy, just cut two slices of cucumber and keep them on your closed eyelids. Keep them on for 5-7 minutes and change sides. It will not only help in relaxing your eyes but will also have a nice cooling effect.

3. If the eyes feel dry blink more. Blinking keeps the surface of our eyes moist with tears. Normally, we blink around 12-14 times a minute, but the blink rate goes down when we are engrossed on screen. This makes our eyes feel itchy and dry. Dry warm weather, air-conditioners and fans can worsen it.

4. Refrain from applying any moisturizer under your eyes, or remember to wipe it off before going to sleep, because that can lead to puffy eyes.

Massage:

1. For eyes which are strained, massaging is an important step.

2. keep your palms on your eyes and gently massage in circular motion.

3. Also massage your eyebrows as well as the area below the eyes.

4. The heat release from the massage will help in relaxing your eyes to the maximum extent.

To relieve your neck and back pain do the following exercises:

Text Neck Syndrome:

‘TEXT NECK’ refers to overuse syndrome or a repetitive stress injury, where you have your head hung forward and down looking at your mobile electronic device for extended periods of time.

1. Flexing the head forward to use a smartphone directly affects the spine.

2. Tilting the head forward to 15 degrees places about 27 pounds of force on the neck.

3. This increases to 40 pounds at 30 degrees, 49 pounds at 45 degrees and 60 pounds at 60 degrees.

4. Damage caused by untreated text neck can be similar to occupational overuse syndrome or repetitive stress/strain injury.

We hope that this will be helpful to you and following these instructions you will help us build a healthier tomorrow.

Have a happy and healthy quarantine!!! 

Heer Yugal Pandit 
Final year MBBS student at 
Parul Institute of Medical Sciences and Research
(Along with my colleagues Jui Patel, Vidhi  Patel and Prashastee Patel)

The post Survey of health risks during lockdown : How to protect your eyes and spine? appeared first on Health Vision.

National Nutrition Week (NNW) is being celebrated from the 1st to the 7th of September. It is organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India’s Food and Nutrition Board. This week observed every year honors the nutrition plays for the wellbeing of a healthy human body. Nutrition for health is embodied in a well-balanced diet with essential nutrients and calories required for the body to function at an optimal rate. A well planned and perfect diet will support growth and repair of the body.  The aim of celebrating this week is to create awareness about nutrition and its importance on the health of all, the lack of which can negatively affect productivity, development along with impacting economic growth and national development.

Hon’ble PM Mr.Modi calls for nutrition month:

A healthy and robust food plays vital role for speedy recovery of COVID19 patients. WHO issued guidelines to all the Governments across globe on the importance of nutritious food to be given to the patients apart from regular medication. Hon’ble PM Mr.Modi has announced September as a month dedicated to create awareness on the of Nutrition and its importance.

Nutrition & eye care:

COVID19 Pandemic made everything go online i.e online Schooling, Competitive exams, companies work, Virtual meetings etc. Now use of electronic gadgets likes Mobile Phones, Computers etc are not limited to IT employees but to everyone. Student to Teacher, Politician – Party worker, Boss and Employee all are dependent on electronic gadgets and spending a lot of time before the screen. Extensive use of these electronic gadgets will result in eye strain if proper food is not taken.

Students and online schooling:

Being parents of a children you need to provide kids with a holistic, balanced diet that has all the required calories, proteins, minerals, vitamins and alternative nutrients. It is always necessary to have 3 timely spaced small meals spread over the day consisting of 60-70% of total calories from carbohydrates , 10-12% from proteins and 20- 25% of total calories from fats.

Special attention to be given to vitamin-C (so lots of citrus fruits & juices to build immunity) and vitamin-D. As the child is mainly restricted to indoors with minimal exposure to sunlight, weekly vitamin-D supplementation has been shown as safe and effective against acute respiratory tract infections. Thus, during this global pandemic we should consider taking Vitamin D supplements to maintain the circulating 25 (OH)D in the optimal (75 -125mmol /L) for online.

Long hours in front of computer for online classes causes computer vision syndrome (which comprises of eye strain, headaches, ocular discomfort, dry eye, double vision and blurred vision). This can be overcome with a simple 20-20-20 RULE That is view an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes & blink intentionally a couple of times. Any refractive error has to be examined and corrected .

 A good lubricating eye drop also helps. Long hours of sitting are linked to posture related problems and obesity. Proper body positioning for computer use is important. Optimally, the computer screen should be 25-20 degrees below eye level (about 4 to 5 inches) as measured from the center of the screen and does 28 Metres from the eyes. Relevant material should be located above the keyboard and below the monitor. Position the computer screen so as to avoid glare.

Anti-glare screens can be used. Chairs should be comfortably padded and feet should rest flat on ground while sitting. The chair should also have arm rests . It is advisable to make them do neck & shoulder exercises every 2 hours and also incorporate spot jogging. These can be easily picked up once it forms a routine.

Mental health- do yoga and meditation:

The last but not the least is mental health. Humans have a profound need to connect with others and gain acceptance into social groups. People suffer when relationships deteriorate and social bonds are severed. We need to make sure they have no dysfunctional social behaviour causing depression or rarely aggression.

So keep a tab on their activities and be responsive to their needs not desires. Do yoga and meditation together to help them bond and have a sense of belonging. The pandemic is here to stay for some time- make the most of it by spending time with them and including them in your daily activities.

Dr.Anitha C Kamarthy
M.S. Sr. Cataract & Glaucoma Surgeon
MaxiVision Super Specialty Eye Hospital
Hyderabad

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The Corona virus has deeply impacted one and all. Not only that it has brought with it several changes in everyday life and with it vicious cycles that no one could envision. One of them is school’s being shut for a prolonged period of time. To overcome the shutdown of schools; several institutes have introduced online schooling.

However, this is having an impact on children’s eye health both long term and short term. What that means for parents is that it’s time to get serious about protecting your child’s vision. With the increase in the use of electronic gadgets or as some call it screen time, many children experience a pervasive threat of digital eye strain.

After a couple hours of continuous use of laptops or mobiles one experiences tired, dry eyes, blurry vision; sometimes headaches and neck ache. Digital eye strain also known as computer vision syndrome can affect everyone who uses not just computers but also TVs, smartphones, tablets, gaming systems, etc.

The problem with virtual classrooms are that students spend more time using computers during school from home than when they attend a brick-and-mortar school, so they’re more likely to experience digital eye strain. Increased screen time increases the risk of Myopia and Myopia progression can cause stress, anxiety, loss of social skills and other behavioural issues.

How parents and teachers can help?

1. The duration of online classes must be age-appropriate. For a younger child say 4 – 6 years, the duration of the class should be one hour with one break. Older kids can have classes for 4 – 6 hours with 5 to 6 breaks.

2. Children must be allowed to take a break every 45 minutes. Some forms of physical training such as yoga or dance should be incorporated into the child’s schedule.

3. Children who use spectacles should wear them regularly. They should not be allowed to sit directly in front of an AC / Fan. This will cause their eyes to dry eyes. Lubricating Eye drops can be used in case of prolonged screen usage.

4. Make sure children follow the 20 – 20 – 20 rule and blink their eyes frequently. Every 20 minutes take a break for 20 secs and look at something 20 feet away.

5. Encourage physical activities and movement in between classes. Preferably ask them to connect to bigger screens like a TV, Laptop, or Desktop.

Dr.Rohini
Senior cataract, Lasik & ICL Surgeon
Maxivision Group of Eye hospitals, Hyderabad

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Eye and vision-related problems that are caused by prolonged use of digital devices such as computers, tablets, e-readers and cell phones are known as computer vision syndrome (CVS).  The number of people using digital devices and the amount of time they spend looking at digital screens has gone up all over the world. Working adults and children are equally affected by computer vision syndrome. It may affect older individuals too as senior citizens are becoming increasingly tech savvy nowadays.

A large number of people experience discomfort when viewing digital screens for extended periods of time. The level of discomfort and vision problems appears to increase with the amount of time spent looking at a digital screen. Research shows that between 50% to 90% of people who work with computers have at least some of the following computer vision symptoms:

1. Eyestrain

2. Headaches

3. Blurred vision

4. Dry eyes

5. Neck and shoulder pain

These symptoms can intensify due to factors such as poor lighting, poor seating posture, improper viewing distance, glare on the digital screen, uncorrected vision problems, or a combination of the above. Digital screen time is significantly higher in all age groups nowadays and also starts at a far younger age. Most people in today’s world have jobs that require them to stare at computer screens for long hours. This can put a real strain to the eyes. Kids who use tablets or play video games on computers for long hours can also be affected.

When working at a computer, eyes tend to focus and refocus constantly. Our eyes move back and forth as we read. We may have to look down and then back up to type. The inner muscles of the eyes have to react to changing images on the screen so that the brain can process what we are seeing. All these jobs require a lot of effort from the eye muscles. And to make things worse, the screen adds contrast, flicker, and glare; unlike a book or piece of paper. This could lead to eye strain and fatigue.

Uncorrected vision problems such as far sightedness and astigmatism can lead to the development of visual symptoms when using a computer or digital screen device. If you need glasses but don’t wear them, or if you wear the wrong prescription spectacles for computer use, you are likely to face more symptoms.

Simple practices to reduce the effects of computer vision syndrome:

1. Make sure there is adequate lighting in the room. Good lighting prevents from staring into the glare on the computer screen. A screen glare filter can decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.

2. Establish proper working distances. Position the digital display so that head is in a naturally comfortable position for screen viewing.

3. Take breaks regularly to prevent eyestrain. A few minutes away from the computer can go a long way when it comes to eyes. Use the 20-20-20 rule. i.e. every 20 minutes take a 20 second break to look at least 20 feet away into the distance and relax your eyes.

4. Make sure your seat is comfortable. A comfortable chair that conforms to the body encourages good posture and will help to avoid neck and shoulder strain commonly associated with computer vision syndrome.

5. Regular spectacles or contact lenses may not be adequate for computer work. Special lens designs with tints or coatings that reduce the effects of extended computer viewing may help to maximize visual abilities and comfort.

6. Blinking frequently can keep the front surface of the eye moist and minimizes the chances of developing dry eye when using a computer.

Also Read: HOW CAN YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD HAS AN EYE PROBLEM?  

Dr. Bhujang Shetty
Narayana Nethralaya
121/C , 1st ‘R’ Block, Chord Road
Rajaji Nagar
Bangalore – 560010
Ph: 91 8066121300-305

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