Preventing Myopia in the Digital Age: Tips for Eye Friendly Screen Time

Explore practical tips to prevent myopia amidst increasing screen time. Recommendations include proper lighting, regular breaks, and outdoor activities for better eye health.

In this digital age, where devices are integrated into our lives, there has been an epidemic of myopia the world over. Where wearing glasses was a rare sight in the young children and adults, spectacles have become common-use and dot the faces on many in the current generation. Here are some tips to prevent myopia in this digital age. Dr. Digvijay Singh, Director, Noble Eye Care, Gurugram sheds light on Preventing Myopia in the Digital Age: Tips for Eye Friendly Screen Time.

• Avoid prolonged screen time: Screen should be used in short intervals. Ideally every 20 minutes one should take a break and focus on a far off object for 20seconds.
• Use a bigger screen: Wherever possible, a larger screen at a distance should be preferred to a smaller screen at near. Use a television to watch your movies rather than a laptop. Prefer a desktop or laptop for online classes or video conferences rather than a tablet or smartphone.
• Proper Lighting: Watch screens in a well-lit room with indirect lighting onto the screen to avoid glare. Watching screens or reading in a dimly lit room causes immense eye strain. Do not have a light just behind the screen or nehind you casting your shadow on the screen.
• Screen brightness: Keep screen brightness setting to moderate. Very low or very high brightness both induce strain and can cause eye fatigue.
• Use Glasses: Prescription spectacles (powered) should be worn all the time. An anti-glare coating may be helpful in reducing eye strain. There is no proven benefit of blue blocking or tinted glasses as of today. Glasses should be cleaned on a regular basis and there should be no scratches on the lens.
• Frequent blinking: Our blink rate reduces from 14-16 times a minute to 4-6 times a minute when we are on the screen. Make sure you blink regularly to prevent eye fatigue and dryness. Use of lubricant eyedrops can be done if eyes seem dry or tired.
• Spend Time Outdoors: Spending time outdoors is proven to be among the strongest protectors against myopia and worsening eyesight. It is recommended to spend atleast 2 hours outside in natural light every day.
• Reduce near activities: Children and young adults should limit the time they spend on doing near activities including reading, digital devices and fine art work. Constant focusing on near work for more than 45 minutes is likely to increase the chance of developing progressive myopia.
• Take a good diet: A diet rich in green leafy vegetables, carrots, beetroot, citrus fruits, almonds, avocados, eggs and fish can help support heathy cornea and retina function which can boost good eyesight.
• Do eye exercises: Simple eye exercises such as pencil pushups, distance focusing exercises and relaxation exercises go a long way in toning the muscles and overcoming a developing eye weakness.

There are many aspects of developing weak eyesight that we can’t control such as genetic tendency, need to spend long hours reading or working on screens in the increasingly academic world and reduced outdoor exposure. However we should try to ensure we can regulate screen time and inculcate healthy digitalpractices to reduce the chance of getting glasses.