To save your eyesight, step away from the screen
INCREASED听screen time听due to lockdowns can strain听our eyesight,听prompting eye听doctors听to听recommend frequent breaks, and听limit听time spent on our devices.听听听
鈥淲e can鈥檛 tell individuals to stop working, so what we do is advise them on how to decrease straining their eyes from too much work,鈥 said Dr. Jeffrey Naz B. Racoma, an ophthalmologist听at听Makati Medical Center, in a Facebook Messenger interview with听大象传媒.听听听
Citing the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Dr. Racoma recommended getting refracted, using artificial tears to refresh dry eyes, following the 20-20-20 rule (for every 20 minutes of computer use, stop a while and look at an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds), adjusting the screen鈥檚 brightness and contrast to match ambient light, and sitting about an arm鈥檚 length in front of the screen.听
Blue light exposure from digital devices, meanwhile,听shouldn鈥檛 be a cause听for听concern since there is听, according to AAO.听
The Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology听(PAO), for its part, does not prescribe blue light鈥filtering glasses, as there is still no significant evidence that blue-light filters protect a computer user鈥檚 eyes.听鈥淭o some, they supposedly work; that is anecdotal evidence, though,鈥 Dr. Racoma听said, adding that the PAO recommends adjusting screen brightness and enlarging font size听instead听of听spending on paraphernalia that may not help at all.听
The discomfort people听experience after prolonged computer time is most likely eye strain, which leads to headaches, according to AAO. Both eye strain and dry eyes are the most common symptoms of听, which describes eye- and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer, tablet, and mobile phone use. Other symptoms associated with CVS are headaches, blurred vision, and neck and shoulder pain.听听
Treatment for dry eyes include using artificial tears, blinking from time to time, curbing screen time, and taking a break doing activities in which the eyes don鈥檛 have to focus on something up close. Updating one鈥檚 eyeglass prescriptions also helps, Dr. Racoma said, as the proper glasses can reduce eyes strain.听听
鈥淭here is this myth that once you use glasses and your eyes get used to wearing them, then it鈥檚 your fault听kasi听sinanay听mo听na听mata听mo听[because you accustomed your eyes to wearing them],鈥 he听said. 鈥淎ctually, it鈥檚 more you realizing that, wow, glasses actually help me see better. It decreases my eye strain, so I will now continue to use them because they benefit me.鈥澨听
GO OUTSIDE
, a contact lens retailer,听compared听听from a 2020听Lancet Global Health听study听against听听as reported by听DataReportal听in听2021.听听
The Philippines听ranked seventh, with Filipinos clocking in听close to听11听hours of听internet听time and 14.3% of the population suffering from some form of vision loss.听India听topped the list,听with Indians spending听around听6.5听hours online and 22.7% of the population suffering from some form of vision loss.听China was an outlier, the UK-based retailer added, as听the country averaged听around听5.5听hours online听yet registered听high rates of听vision loss.听鈥淭his suggests that while screen time has a tangible impact on our eyesight, it is only one of many factors that can damage our听vision,鈥 said Feel Good Contacts.听听
Commenting on the study, Dr. Racoma said: 鈥淚鈥檓 skeptical with their methodology. They just compared how much a country used computers, and correlated it with vision loss or impairment, for any disease, regarding if it’s not connected to using computers or not. Too many confounders and variables for that to be a reliable study.鈥听
He added that no听study听has听directly correlated听computer use to听eye disease.听鈥淚f there were, there鈥檇 be a lot of lawsuits already if that were the case,鈥澨齭aid Dr. Racoma.听听
Meanwhile, a separate journal article suggested that children听are more听susceptible to vision problems owing to a rise in screen time.听A January 14听study听in听JAMA Ophthalmology听found the听, or near-sightedness, among 6- to 8-year-old children was听1.4 to 3 times higher in 2020 compared with the previous听five听years. The study noted that the refractive status of younger children 鈥渕ay be more sensitive to environmental changes than older children, given the younger individuals are in an important period for the development of myopia.鈥澨听
This听ties in with听听that听found听increased听computer听use was associated with myopia development before the age of 10 years. Computer use, however, was not as strongly associated with myopia as reading books. The study also noted that听“the effect of combined near work activities could be diminished by outdoor exposure.鈥听
Dr. Racoma听noted that听doing a lot of near work may have an effect of myopia. 鈥We read books usually less than an arm鈥檚 length away, usually 8-12 inches away. Computers, though, are usually 18-24 inches away, so your eyes are less converged (or looking inward). When you look near, there鈥檚 something called the near response. The closer the reading material, the more engaged the near response.鈥听
The remedy, he said, is not to stop reading books, but to follow the 20-20-20 rule.听
“The rule听reminds you to look far often, because when you do, you听don鈥檛听use the near response…That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 very relaxing to look at clouds and rainbows, because that鈥檚 a relaxed position.”听
As the 2020 study concluded, outdoor exposure is听also听important.听鈥淪pending time outdoors allows the hormone dopamine to regulate a child鈥檚 growth and development,鈥 Dr. Racoma told 大象传媒. 鈥淪pending less time outdoors is one known risk factor that has been shown [to lead to] an increased incidence of myopia in children.鈥澨 听
The听听reported that in 2020, there were an estimated 12 million people with vision loss in the Philippines. Of these, 500,000 people were blind.听鈥斕Patricia B. Mirasol听
