Eye care for exams

The board exams are around the corner. Often, students become indolent, tired, and restless because of exam anxiety. Parents are equally apprehensive during these months of the year. Too much to achieve in too little time pushes children for longer study hours. Long study hours with prolonged near activity, sleeplessness, infrequent blinking, and increased screen time causes fatigue, dryness, and itching in the eyes - leading to discomfort, headaches, blurry vision, and even migraine. These symptoms make them less efficient during the crucial days of the study period. The study hours maybe even longer in children who are visually impaired. The onus of maintaining good eye health in students is a collective responsibility of students, parents, teachers, and doctors.

To avoid eye strain and increase efficiency during these demanding hours, following safety measures can give students a healthier and a serene study period experience.

Get a comprehensive eye examination done

It is advisable to get an eye examination done by an ophthalmologist before the beginning of the study break to rule out any change in the power of the glasses (for those who already wear eyeglasses) and the possibility of developing eye power. Wearing glasses with the wrong power will cause unnecessary eye strain.

Follow the 20-20-20 rule

Taking frequent breaks during the study time to avoid needless discomfort due to prolonged near activity is advised. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes – look 20 feet away/out of the window - for 20 seconds to shift the focus from near to far distance so that the eye muscles acting for near-activity are sufficiently relaxed.

Frequent blinking

Do not forget to blink frequently, as often there is a tendency to fail to blink during the prolonged study hours - it prevents dryness, itching, and eye fatigue.

Maintain a correct posture

Maintaining a correct posture and reading distance prevents neck and back problems. Students should be encouraged to inculcate the habit of sitting upright with their backs straight and avoiding excessive neck flexion.

Limit the use of digital gadgets

Doctors advocate restricted use of digital gadgets as far as possible. In cases where it is unavoidable, use larger screens at eye level instead of cell phones and watch from a distance of more than two feet. Use screen protectors such as antiglare and anti-reflective screens and adjust the screen brightness to comfortable levels for watching.

Do not sit directly in front

of an air conditioner/cooler

or fan

Do not sit in front of an air conditioner or an air cooler or a fan to avoid drying of eyes. Undertaking these measures can reduce the symptoms of dry eyes. In an extreme situation, lubricating eye drops may be needed.

Sit in a well illuminated and ventilated room

Illumination of the room is also a crucial element. The study room for students should be pleasant, free from distractions, and well illuminated with appropriate ventilation. Immoderate amounts of room light will cause unnecessary eye strain and harm the eyes. Too bright illumination causes glare, and too dull-illumination demands more effort - exposure to natural daylight and ambient lighting (avoiding shadowing) is recommended.

Minimum one hour of physical activity

Students should be encouraged to indulge in at least an hour of physical activity or leisure time every day for their overall well-being and relaxation.

Follow a healthy sleeping pattern

Late night studies and the use of electronic gadgets leads to alteration in the blood levels of melatonin which is responsible for the circadian rhythm. Any deviation in circadian rhythm leads to irregular sleep patterns and behavioural issues such as anxiety and stress. The students should be encouraged to get a minimum of 6-8 hours of sleep daily.

Remain hydrated

Added to all of these, the scorching summer leads to dehydration, restlessness, and even migraine. Above all, maintaining hydration and consuming a healthy diet are very critical.

(The author is a consultant Ophthalmologist, Child Sight

Institute at LV Prasad Eye

institute in Hyderabad)