Is Excessive Screen Time During COVID-19 Affecting Eye Health?

Singapore exited Circuit Breaker and entered Phase 1 as we prepare for the new normal. This prolonged restriction has led to a heavy use of digital devices such laptops, tablets, TVs and especially smartphones. While wearing glasses/ sunglasses and other protective devices may add a layer of protection, our eye health may not at its optimum. 

When schools shifted to home based learning, children were spending more time in front of computer screens, and many parents have resolved to relaxing screen-time rules for TV and video games to keep kids occupied at home. The combination of more digital screen time and less outdoor play time may harm children’s vision. This puts them at a higher risk of developing myopia, or shortsightedness.

Good vision helps us with our daily activities at home, at work, and even on the road. It is extremely important to take to make sure you help keep your eyesight at its best. It might have been a while since you last had your regular eye examination done. An easy precaution as such can go a long way in protecting your precious eyesight. How else can we better protect our vision?

Update Your Spectacles Prescription

A very common problem amongst the large number of short-sighted individuals is that their distance glasses, whilst giving reasonably good distance vision, causes specific difficulty for near work. Thus, by making some slight tweaks to the prescription, it can promote comfort for screen use. Anti-glare glasses do help by reducing the amount of light reflecting off the front and back surfaces of your glasses. With an update of your prescription, you would be able to better protect your eyes after having excessively use of digital devices. Contact Dr. Val Phua (Consultant Ophthalmologist at Eagle Eye Centre) to find out more!

Build an Eye-Healthy Lifestyle at Home

Parents are encouraged to carefully manage children’s screen time to support educational use. Have outdoors activities along the corridors (with social distancing practices) while limiting cartoons and video games. Set clear rules and limit screen time when necessary. The World Health Organization recommends that children under 5 spend one hour or less per day on digital devices, and children under 1 spend no time on digital devices. Spend more time offline by setting up simple obstacle course indoors! Get creative with some household items and with the space you have around you. The possibilities are endless, so get creative and have some fun in your house!

Calculate Screen Time

We are probably using our digital devices for more than 12 hours each day during this stay home period. These devices are exposing your eyes to high energy blue light. Blue light from digital devices can decrease contrast leading to digital eyestrain. Here are tips to help you protect your eyes during screen time.

• Remember to blink
• Use lubricating eye drops to soothe irritated and dry eyes
• Adjust screen lighting to minimise glare
• Have your digital screen distanced within 20”- 24″ from your eye
• Keep the top of your computer screen slightly below eye level
• Take a break every 20 minutes and focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds

Additional Tip: Wear Sunglasses and Hats

To protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light when heading outdoors, choose sunglasses with both UVA and UVB protection. Wearing a hat with a brim will greatly reduce the amount of UV radiation slipping around the side of your sunglasses. Looking out of the window helps protect our vision after screen time. 

To adequately block out all UVA and UVB rays so that you can have optimal protection, get yourself UV400 lenses. Polarisation of the lenses can help to increase contrast, comfort and clarify, while reducing the glare symptoms. Lenicc’s collection of frames come with premium UV400 lenses that are polarised and have added anti-scratch and anti-glare coatings. Your style will not be compromised as you are able to customize the sunglasses to express your uniqueness.

Lenicc is co-designed with eye specialists to bring eye protection to the next level. With the correct lens and Asian formulated design, there is no more need to worry about the lack of eye protection.

Did you also know that when you purchase a pair of sunglasses, you are doing a good deed too? Lenicc partners with The Vision Mission in this philantrophic mission, as Lenicc gives back a part of the proceeds with every pair of sunglasses sold. This money will go to supporting precious cataract surgeries and training of ophthalmologists in rural areas of developing countries.

With every 3 pairs of sunglasses sold, the gift of sight is restored to 1 needy patient through The Vision Mission’s cataract surgery programme. When you protect your own eyesight with Lenicc’s sunglasses, you help to restore the eyesight of someone in need. Amazing, isn’t it?

Founder of Lenicc, Grace Ng, started with a simple idea: To make customisation of quality eyewear with that perfect fit to a blissful reality. Their sunglasses are an intersection of personalisation and haute couture, handcrafted with a specially designed raised-fit. As everyone is unique, it is important to suit your style. You can even tailor your shades to match your personality. Made to fit Asian’s facial proportions, Lenicc is here to empower us to express ourselves and radiate the aura that we have always had in us.

You can shop Lenicc Eyewear at Shop Our Recommendations.

Promotion For You!

Sign up Lenicc’s Newsletter at www.lenicc.com. Upon check out, quote promo code <SIGHT20> to get $20 off and a complimentary Petale Floral Tea Set (worth $10).⁣⁣

*T&Cs apply

This post is sponsored by Lenicc Eyewear.