Eye Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic
(by Dr Leo Seo Wei)

Eye strain can result in eye discomfort.

• Schedule planned breaks to prevent prolonged uninterrupted screen time using the “20-20-20” rule. For every 20 minutes that you are on the screen, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
• Minimise time spent on recreational screen-based activities like binge watching Korean drama or online gaming. Replace these with physical activities in the house or outdoor exercise in compliance with Circuit Breaker measures. Getting away from the computer to stretch the body is essential to avoid the body aches caused by prolonged computer use.
  
  For children (especially those with myopia), it is recommended to spend 1 to 2 hours outdoors daily. If circumstances do not allow it, let the children spend time in sunlit areas like the balcony or open the curtains to let sunlight into the house.
• Proper monitor position: The monitor should be positioned at or slightly below eye level and at least 25 inches, or arm’s length, away to reduce the intensity of the light and the stress on the eyes.
• Adjust the brightness, contrast and text size. As screens which glow brighter than the surroundings force the eyes to work harder, match the screen brightness to that of the room and increase the contrast to reduce eye strain. Black print on a white background is the best combination to facilitate reading. Different times of day and the weather may affect these settings.
• Reduce glare: Avoid glare from windows and lights as much as possible and use anti-glare anti-glare or matte screen protectors for monitors. Position the computer such that the windows are at your side, instead of being in front of, or behind, your screen. If you wear spectacles, use lenses with an anti-reflective coating. Direct the desk lamp away from the screen to avoid excessive reflection
• Get an updated spectacle prescription and use the right eyeglasses, especially for people who are presbyopic.
• Don’t forget to blink: Usually, we naturally blink between 8 to 21 times per minute. Blinking provides moisture to the eye by irrigation using tears and a lubricant the eyes secrete. The eyelid provides suction across the eye from the tear duct to the entire eyeball to keep it from drying out. Blinking also protects the eye from irritants.
  
  Studies indicate that blinking decreases by more than 50% when staring at computer screens or other digital devices. Reduced blinking results in dry eyes causing eye discomfort, redness and foreign body sensation. Make a conscious effort to blink as often as possible to keep the eyes moisturized.
• Other measures to avoid dry eyes include using artificial tears/lubricating eye drops and adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. These are available as supplements and in foods such as flaxseed, salmon and sardines. Contact lens wear can be reduced to avoid dry eyes. Increase the humidity of your environment, avoid a fan blowing directly at your face and do not sit directly under the air vent so as to decrease tear evaporation.