Due to the changes in the work culture owing to the recent lockdown has increased our screen-time multifold. With increased workload and nowhere to go, we all are spending a little too much time watching the screen, be it your laptop, desktop, or your mobile phone.
If your day starts and the night ends by looking at the phone/laptop screen, then you may soon suffer or are already suffering from eye related diseases and eye fatigue or asthenopia, a common condition that occurs when your eyes become tired from intense use, especially while staring at a screen.
You will be shocked to know that the harmful blue light emitted from screens can dramatically affect your eyesight and even speed up blindness. However, the good news is that there is a lot you can do to boost your eyesight and keep it in perfect order. Here is a list of five easy eye exercises you can do to improve your eyesight, that requires no special equipment as well.
Palming
Palming is an easy exercise that relieves eye strain and boosts eyesight. To do the exercise, simply rub your palms together to generate heat. Then gently place your palm against your eyes for a few seconds and repeat several times until your eyes feel light and the tension around then eases.
Rolling Your Eyes
Rolling your eyes is another easy exercise you can do anytime. Start by rolling your eyes in the clockwise direction for a few minutes. Take a break and roll the eyes in the anti-clockwise direction. Repeat 5-7 times or until you start feeling comfortable again.
Refocusing
Refocusing is an exercise that you must do while you are continuously working on your laptop. At intervals, look away from the screen and focus on some object far away. Look at your palm and then again focus on the distant object. Do this exercise 10 times daily for best results.
Blinking
Blinking is what comes to us naturally. But sometimes we forget to blink while we are engrossed on that important thing on the screen leading to dryness in your eyes and irritation. Therefore, performing a blinking exercise can greatly help, all you need to have is a blank wall right in front of you. Start by closing your eyes for two seconds, then open and blink rapidly for five seconds. Repeat 5-7 times.
Follow the 20-20-20 Rule
While working on the computer or watching your favourite series on the phone, every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds away, simple!
In addition to these exercises, there are some dietary changes that you can make and include some foods that are great for your eyes.
Apart from eating right, including the right kind of food to your diet can also make a huge difference to your eyesight. Eat an antioxidant & Vitamin A rich diet that includes leafy greens, egg yolks, yellow pepper, sweet potato, pumpkin, and carrots. Yellow and green vegetables are also helpful in preventing macular generation, which can even lead to blindness. If your dietary preference allows, include fish in your diet or fish oil capsules to prevent cataract formation.