Author : Ashutosh Naik
Most of us consider maintaining good physical health as one of the top priorities but neglect or rather forget the importance of maintaining good eye care. Right from the moment we get up to the moment we go to bed, more and more of us are on our smartphones, tablets, computers and other digital devices, and watching TV. When spending long periods of time on digital devices, the blink rate may be reduced by up to 66% on average. The symptoms may include dry, red and irritated eyes, eye strain and fatigue, blurry vision, focusing issue, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain.
Digital eye strain is a common problem these days. If you are among the 90% of adults who spend two or more hours a day in front of a screen, you could be putting yourself at risk for digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome. It’s a problem that is occurring more frequently, even in kids.
Kids too are not spared these days, in fact many of them require a considerable amount of eye care mainly because of the constant use of tablets, phones, TV, laptops and many more devices that affect their eyesight. Happy and healthy eyes are extremely important in children’s learning. Approximately 60% of children with learning difficulties have undetected vision problems. Classrooms are packed with a lot of visual learning from graphs, posters, to drawings where good eyesight is needed.
It is well know that we take good care of our bodies by maintaining a healthy lifestyle but because of the excessive usage of electronics and digital devices, there is a slow deterioration in our eye sight. Therefore the health of our eyes is critical to our overall wellbeing and happiness. The importance of eye health cannot be overlooked especially when we consider that over 80% of the information that we take in from the world is through our eyes. Eyes can capture and interpret more than one-million pulse signals per millisecond and transmit to the brain. Therefore, catching the problem before it gets worse is of critical importance to prevent further degradation of the eye.
Your eyes are an important part of your health. Maintaining healthy habits can lower the risk for diseases and conditions that can lead to eye or vision problems, like diabetes or high blood pressure, overweight or obese, or a family history of eye disease. To give an example, people with diabetes are at risk for diabetic retinopathy — an eye condition that can cause vision loss and even blindness. There are also many different types of eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. And many of these diseases can’t be diagnosed without a consultation from a professional because of their invisible symptoms. Around 80% of vision problems worldwide are avoidable, or even curable if detected early and treated with proper medical care.
In this modern day and age with the frequent use of digital gadgets across all age groups, most of us start to experience significant changes in our eyesight the moment we cross 40 years of age. Not forgetting that many do experience changes in eyesight even at a younger age. Your eyes are one of the first senses that are affected by aging. However, most people think about eye health only when they experience some change in their eyesight. Having said that, keeping your eyes healthy when you are in your 20’s and 30’s will prepare you well for the later years. A healthy lifestyle of diet, exercise, and proper nutritional support can help to keep your eyes healthy.
Symptoms of vision problems:
Vision in bright light or glare conditions usually decreases. It is usually noted that night driving becomes a real problem especially due to the glare and bright headlights of oncoming vehicles. Even vision under bright sunlight can be rather uncomfortable and difficult.
In a scenario where there is not enough ambient lighting or the light is not bright enough one may tend to experience more difficulties in vision and navigating in areas with low light.
Colors may seem duller and the contrast between colors will seem less noticeable.
Usually dry eyes occur because our tear quality deteriorates as we age. Though we may produce enough tears, it just might not be enough to keep the eye moist. Itching, burning, redness, and excess tearing when going from indoors to outdoors are some of the signs of dry eyes.
Adding the essential nutrients to your diet every day either through foods or supplements can help support and maintain your vision. According to research, eye-friendly nutrients such as Zeaxanthin, Lutein, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and zinc are linked to supporting healthy eye structures, including the macular and natural lens. While a blend of Ayurvedic herbs like Amalaki, Bibhitaki, Haritaki, Moringa, Bilbery and Curcumin help to maintain healthy vision and may protect from the harmful effects of blue radiations from mobile and computer screens, bright lights, pollution and poor nutrition.
Having taken you through the importance of eye care, it is overwhelming to know that eyes are truly amazing organs. While there is so much said and done about maintaining overall health and the multiple options to choose from; there is little attention on the importance of eye care, before damage sets in. Like the other organs of the body, your eyes are subject to daily stress and injury and can deteriorate if not properly taken care of. It is therefore imperative to maintain the health of your eyes at all stages of life. Remember, there is no substitute for the quality of life that good vision offers.
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