MANAGING EYE STRAIN

THESE tips help minimise the negative effects of prolonged exposure to electronics:

• Place laptops, tablets, and handphones on a desk or table at least 30cm away to decrease the electromagnetic field radiation (which is damaging to the eye) by 80 per cent.

• Ensure your child’s room has good lighting to reduce the bright effects of the computer screen. In a dark room, pupils will dilate — leading to more radiation entering the eye to reach the retina and this can tire the eye.

• Reduce the brightness and contrast in the computer settings to minimise glare and keep the font size optimal for viewing at a distance so there is no straining when trying to read.

• Use a computer screen filter. This is more effective than getting blue light protective glasses as there has not been any clear evidence that supports the claim that such glasses are beneficial to the retina.

• Ensureyourchild’sspectaclesare updated. This way, your child will not need to place the screen too close to his or her face to read.

• Rearrangeyourchild’sdesk.The best position for the monitor is 10-15 degrees below eye level. When the eyes cast downwards, the lid aperture is less wide. This decreases the rate of evaporation of tears and lessens the risk of dry eyes.

• Blink often to keep the eyes moist. If they are dry, use preservativefree artificial eye drops as and when necessary.

• Take five-minute breaks for every two hours spent on the computer. Switch the setting on devices to night mode for late evening reads.

• Ensureyourchildgetseighthours of sleep to allow healing of the eye surface at night to prevent dry eyes.