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8 ways to keep your eyes healthy

If you find yourself looking in the mirror at the end of a long day only to see the bloodshot eyes of a crackhead staring back at you, it may be because you are addicted to something – your digital devices.

A new problem that eye experts are calling computer vision syndrome (CVS) is sweeping the country; according to the Optometrists Association Australia, 60 to 90 per cent of computer users are affected in some way. And anyone who spends two or more hours a day with eyes glued to a screen – whether it’s that of a computer, an e-reader or a smartphone – is at risk. Symptoms of CVS, which can include blurry vision, headaches, twitching eyelids, dry eyes or even long-term near-sightedness, may accrue over days or months – but don’t wait until you sense that something is wrong. Start preventing the problem now.


PEEPER PERFORMANCE

Excessive time with technology aside, the quality of your eyesight depends largely on your genes. Thanks, Mum and Dad. Still, you can do a lot to keep your eyes healthy:

Put down the ciggies
Smoking narrows blood vessels all over the body – and eyes – upping risk of macular degeneration and serious optic nerve damage.

Splurge on shades
Frequent UV exposure can increase risk of cataracts and melanoma (yep, on your eyes). Wear sunnies that block 100 per cent of UVA and UVB rays.

Shelve the redness-remover
These eye drops work by cutting off blood flow to eyes. Long-term use can lead to rebound redness, irritation or damaged corneas.

Try a warm compress
Eye glands and tear ducts can clog easily, and become infected. Lay a damp washcloth over eyes for 10 minutes once a week to loosen things up.

Eat a dark green salad
Antioxidants found in leafy greens can help protect vision. Add salmon or flaxseed too – omega-3 fatty acids help counteract dry eyes.

Practice visual hygiene
Wash hands before handling contact lenses, and never wear longer than recommended. This can lead to infections and corneal ulcers.

Get regular check-ups
OPSM offer digital retina scans which pick up subtle changes. Your optometrist can also keep tabs on any possible CVS-related vision changes.

Spend time outside
A study published in the journal Optometry and Vision Science found that people who spent more time outside have fewer vision problems. Interesting, huh?


TROUBLED OUTLOOK

“Our eyes have evolved for three-dimensional viewing,” explains optometrist Dr Andrea Thau. “So as we strain to find a 3D image on a close-up 2D screen, we end up over-focusing.” What’s more, the eye’s natural focal point lies about six metres in front of the face.

Most people, however, sit about half a metre from their computer screen, forcing a ring of eye muscles to continuously contract in order to redirect focus. If you stare at any sort of digital monitor for hours, those eye muscles can become so overwrought that they can’t relax, even after you look away. The resulting blurred vision, a main CVS symptom, often clears up in as little as a few seconds, but if you hit this hazy point a lot – as in several times a day, most days of the week – then short-term near-sightedness might become permanent.

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It’s still up for debate whether or not the problem is reversible. The American Optometric Association warns that it might be, while many Australian optometrists consider CVS to be a temporary annoyance that will settle down as soon as you take some time away from staring at a screen. “Eye strain doesn’t cause long-term damage, so much as short-term eye tiredness and discomfort,” says Peter Larsen, optometrist and managing director of Specsavers. “But there is also the potential loss of concentration and work productivity to consider. In other words, it’s not something worth putting up with long-term.”

One thing that’s crystal clear is the other troubling CVS symptom: dry eyes. Parched, itchy peepers may sound trivial compared with blurred or lost vision, but frequent dryness can lead to infection. See, your eyes can’t differentiate between a mind-numbing spreadsheet and that flirty email from the hot bloke you’ve just started dating. To them, any on-screen activity is so captivating that blinking typically becomes an afterthought. Case in point: according to the Optometrists Association Australia, the normal human blink rate is around 10 to 15 times per minute. Blinking whisks away any debris and keeps your eyeballs well-oiled for optimal function. But when you’re settled in front of a screen, blink rates can reduce by as much as 50 per cent, leaving the door open for seriously dry, irritated eyes.

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SAVE YOUR SIGHT

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Relax: chucking your computer, iPad or smartphone and taking up an Amish-like lifestyle isn’t necessary – most CVS symptoms can be controlled. The first step: start living by a simple 20-20-20 rule, says Dr Thau. Look away from your screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds and focus on a fixed point five metres away. Set an alarm via timer.onlineclock.net to remind yourself to get into the habit. Like any exercise, this eye movement works best when practised regularly, but every little bit will help.

Next, make sure your workstation – at the office or at home – is set up so that your eyes are level with the very top of your monitor, says Grant Fisher, director of eyecare at OPSM. Your eyes focus best when they’re looking downward, and partially closed lids can combat dry eyes by preventing tears from evaporating. Cutting down on any annoying glare helps, too. If you’re holding a smartphone or e-reader and have to cup one hand over the screen to read the words on it, you could be straining your eyes and risking CVS, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Close the blinds, adjust your device’s contrast or brightness levels or buy an inexpensive antiglare cover.

Still holding on to your 20/20? Even if your eyesight is top-notch, you might consider getting fitted for computer glasses if you spend a lot of time doing close work on a computer, to give your eyes and neck a rest, says Larsen. People who use glasses for distance vision correction – say if you need them to drive – are more at risk of eye strain because they are viewing objects up close with a lens designed to correct their vision in the distance. Larsen advises asking your optometrist for a pair of glasses with a weaker than full-strength prescription for when you’re working on your computer.

Above all, when in doubt, blink it out. Whenever you sit in front of a screen for hours at a time (and for many people that’s practically every day), try to remember to combat overly dry eyes by blinking very slowly – as if you’re fading off to sleep – every so often. Small breaks and a healthy perspective are the keys to beating CVS. “Yes, computers can be a visual challenge for your eyes,” says Dr Thau. “But when used with caution, they won’t do permanent damage.” So take breaks, blink lots, see your optometrist if you’re worried, and your eyes will definitely live to Facebook another day.

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