Between the glare of summer sun and screen, our eyes may be taking a beating these days, writes Jason Osborne
An old adage has it that the eyes are the window to the soul. Regardless of how much truth there is to that, there’s probably some sense in the intuition that they’re one of the more vulnerable parts of our body.
My eyes have been labouring under the harsh triple-threat of sun, screen and hay-fever induced agitation in recent weeks. It’s often not until a body part complains that we give it the care and attention it should have been receiving all along, and I realised that there were many ways in which I haven’t been looking after my eyes as I should.
The pandemic has rapidly accelerated the integration of screens into our daily lives, if they weren’t a part of them already, with work and socialising both conducted through laptops and tv screens in many cases. The past couple of weeks have also seen Dublin bathed in sunlight – something you won’t find me complaining about!
The combination of the newfound dependence on screens, bright sunlight and the aforementioned agitation that often accompanies hay fever has made me particularly conscious of the stress my eyes are under of late, and it prompted me to look into how I might care for them better in the future.
Sifting fact from fiction
Before getting into how we care for our eyes, it might be worth sifting out a couple of common myths and misconceptions abouts eyes and eyesight.
- Reading in dark or dim light will not damage your eyes. It’s surely more difficult to see in than brighter light, so you may earn yourself a headache, but you won’t cause yourself any harm.
- Watching too much TV or sitting very closely to it won’t cause any damage to your eyes either – but it may make your eyes tired and result in a headache.
- Using your eyes “too much” will not “wear them out”, the health of your eyes having nothing to do with how much you use them.
- Eating carrots may well have a positive effect on your eye health. Carrots are a source of vitamin A, which is important for the eyes. Poor nutrition has been linked to diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Screen use
Contrary to my uneducated fears, I discovered that there is no solid link between screen use and damage to eye health. In fact, because you can alter the size, brightness and contrast of the display on a screen, it can be easier and more comfortable for some to look at a screen than at paper.
However, most of us find looking at a screen for long spells tiring, and many find wearing glasses to be helpful when using a computer or some other screen. Individual cases may need the advice of an optometrist.
Focusing on a screen tends to make us blink less than usual”
Some ways to look after your eyes when using a screen include:
- Applying the 20-20-20 rule, which means that every 20 minutes of screen time, you should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds in order to give your eye muscles a rest.
- Blinking regularly limits the dryness and discomfort many of us feel when looking at a screen. Focusing on a screen tends to make us blink less than usual.
- Try to position your computer screen so that it’s between 15-30 inches from your eyes, the top of the screen is level with or just below your eyes, the screen is tilted away from you at a 10 to 20 degree angle, and finally, so that there are no reflections on the screen, such as from a window.
- Adjust font size to an easily readable one.
Sunlight and ultraviolet light
This is where we have to be most careful in terms of the potential for long-term damage to our eye health. If you spend much time outdoors in the sunshine, or on a sunbed pre-Covid, you need to ensure your eyes are protected against harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. Exposure to UV light has been implicated in certain conditions such as cataracts and AMD.
If you’re going to spend a lot of time outdoors in the sunshine, as is the prevailing advice at the moment, it is important to ensure that you wear good quality, dark sunglasses with for the best protection. The CE mark or the British Standard (BS EN ISO 12312-1:2013) should be sought, which is the manufacturer’s assurance that the sunglasses have been made in compliance with safety standards. A lower level of protection is also afforded by a hat with a brim or a sun visor.
Sunbeds have been in the firing line for some time now, with evidence linking them to an increased risk of skin cancer. They can also produce extremely high levels of UV light, which can cause damage to the outer and internal structures of the eye and eyelids.
If you are going to use them, however, make sure your eyes are protected with tanning goggles that should fit well, and be in good condition. Just closing your eyes doesn’t provide enough protection to rest easily.
Hay fever
If, like me, you suffer with hay fever, you know that its symptoms aren’t limited to your nose. It can result in itchy eyes and difficulty breathing, too, among other things. The itchy eyes are often a result of an allergic reaction set off by the pollen grains, the conjunctiva (the transparent membrane covering the white of the eye) becoming inflamed, causing watery, red and itchy eyes. The whites of the eyes may swell up too, accompanied by a feeling of grittiness.
Wear sunglasses when outdoors, wraparounds offering the best protection for your eyes from pollen”
To manage these symptoms, you should:
- Stay indoors: It’s the best way to avoid a high pollen count, particularly in the early evening and midmorning when the level of pollen is at its highest. Try to keep doors and windows closed, if you can.
- Wear sunglasses when outdoors, wraparounds offering the best protection for your eyes from pollen.
- Wear glasses rather than contact lenses when the pollen count is high.
- On days with high levels of pollen, change your clothes and have a shower, if possible – you may have pollen in your hair, on your clothes and skin.
- As well as this, bathing your eyes regularly in cold water can help to relieve symptoms.
- Finally, applying a small amount of petroleum jelly to your nostrils can help to trap pollen – which limits an adverse reaction to it.
Hopefully these few tips can limit the discomfort your eyes give you this summer, while maximising their health.