… and their prevention
One of the most precious gifts for humans from the Almighty is the gift of sight. It is our duty and responsibility to preserve and cherish this gift, by looking after our eyes and keeping them healthy. In today’s world of global COVID-19 pandemic, it is all the more important to look after our health, and caring for one’s eyes is no different. There are various aspects of eye care that we will discuss in this article.
As we all know, in view of COVID-19, most of the classes for children have moved to various online platforms. Similarly, for young adults, a lot of work is now being done from home via the internet. This means prolonged hours of computer use and increased screen time. This has led to increase in eye strain and given rise to a condition known as ‘Computer Vision Syndrome’. Various symptoms of this ailment include headache, blurring of vision, burning sensation in the eyes, watery eyes, dry eyes, neck and shoulder pain, difficulty in concentration while working. It is important for us to identify and recognize these symptoms which may cause eye problems in future. There are various ways of addressing these problems of increased screen time and eyestrain. Children and others using the screen should blink often to refresh eyes and use artificial tears, if required. Take eye breaks and follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Keep the monitor at least an arm’s length away and position it directly in front of the eye. Adjust the screen settings and enlarge the type for easier reading. Also, the room should be well lit and the source of light should be behind the reader’s head. It is also very important to limit screen time for children and motivate them to spend time playing outdoors and not using gadgets for recreational activities. Annual eye checkup of children is essential and any glasses prescribed by the doctor should be worn for all daily activities.
The spectrum of eye problems is different in older age groups. All adults above the age of 40 years should have a mandatory annual eye checkup. Few of the leading causes of blindness in our adult and aging population are cataract, glaucoma and retinal conditions like diabetic retinopathy.
Cataract is an aging process where the clear natural lens of the human eye undergoes certain changes and loses its transparency leading to decrease in vision. This is easily picked up during an eye examination by a doctor, and can be cured via cataract surgery where the natural lens is replaced by an artificial lens which improves vision.
Another and more dangerous condition is known as Glaucoma, which is also called ‘silent thief of vision’. Here, most often the person doesn’t know that he/she is suffering from glaucoma, and sometimes presents to the doctor at a very late stage. Vision lost to glaucoma is irreversible and hence it’s important to have routine eye examinations done to rule out this disease. Any family history of glaucoma is significant, as this may run in the family. Also, this disease can easily be monitored by some tests and controlled by medications. Very advanced stage disease needs surgery, which is decided by the treating doctor.
Lastly, there are certain retinal conditions which require attention, the main being diabetic retinopathy, which means effects of diabetes on the retina. With increasing incidence of diabetes in our society, it is mandatory for all diabetics to get an annual eye examination done to rule out diabetic effects on the retina. Strict metabolic control is the cornerstone of protecting eyes from diabetes. If there are signs of eyes getting involved in diabetes, the person should be under an ophthalmologist’s care with regular eye examinations and tests as prescribed by the doctor. Advanced disease may require laser procedures and eye injections, but it is better to prevent one’s eyes from developing these conditions.
If all of us are aware of these basic eye problems which are common in our society and if we can take preventive steps at the right time by doing simple lifestyle modifications, we can progress together as a healthier society and nation.
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Dr. JAVED HUSSAIN FAROOQUI
Consultant Eye Surgeon
Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Contact / WhatsApp +91 – 9599444445