Save Your Eyes
From our work computers to smartphones and TVs, many of us spend the majority of our days staring at screens.
But experts are warning this has led to a surge in eye problems including dry eyes, fatigue and a surge in people becoming short-sighted.
David Allamby, a leading laser eye surgeon and founder of Focus Clinics, London, believes the number of people with short-sightedness – where they struggle to see things in the distance – could increase by 50 per cent in the next ten years.
The problem, caused by the trend for constant use of computers and phones, is so widespread that he has dubbed it ‘screen sightedness’.
He says increasing numbers of people are complaining of dry, fatigued eyes, which he says is correlated to the rise in screen-time.
He told MailOnline: ‘When your eyes are dry, they become more sensitive, more fatigued and uncomfortable.
‘After staring at a computer all day at work, many people complain of dry eyes.’
Here, he shares his top five tips for keeping the eyes healthy…
Follow 20-20-20 rule
In order to prevent eyes becoming dry and tired at the end of the day, taking regular ‘screen-breaks’ can help.
There is a rule known as the 20-20-20 rule, which says that for every 20 minutes you work, you should look at something 20 feet in the distance for 20 seconds.
Mr Allamby said screen users should try to focus on something in the distance a minimum of once every half an hour.
He said: ‘The eyes are designed to be changing their range, going from far to mid to near.
‘If you take a break from your computer screen and look in the distance, that gives the muscle inside the eye a rest.
‘It should prevent fatigue and dryness.
‘What I find is patients do it once or twice then they forget, so I tell them to put a sticker on their monitor to remind them.’
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