The College of Optometrists has issued the following advice & guidelines to safeguard Eye Care & vision during Lockdown:
During the pandemic you may have found that your screen time has increased as you stay indoors more. There is no evidence to suggest screen time damages your vision, however you may find it tiring to look at a monitor for long periods of time. To reduce eye strain we suggest:
- Positioning your monitor so it’s roughly arm’s length away from your eyes.
- Minimising any distracting reflections in your screen e.g. windows.
- Looking at something 20feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
- Blinking regularly. Focussing on a screen may make you blink less which may cause eyes to become dry and uncomfortable.
- Many people will be working from home and lighting is very important for vision. If you have problems seeing in a low light, we recommend sitting close to a window during the day if you need to see something clearly like text in a book or magazine.
- Sunglasses aren’t just for summer. The low sun in winter can be particularly dazzling so wear sunglasses on sunny winter days, particularly when driving.
- If you suffer from dry eyes, this may be exacerbated by central heating. Lower the temperature in rooms and open a window, even if just for a few minutes. Or alternatively use a humidifier.
- There is evidence that encouraging children to spend time outdoors could reduce the onset of myopia (short sightedness) so do try to ensure they have time outdoors each day.
