Anyone can say that among the 5 senses that we have, sight is the most precious one. Have you ever wondered how good eyesight works?
Our eye is unique yet complex. It has a front-most transparent layer called a cornea and an internal transparent lens which works together to focus the image that we see, acting like a camera.
The amount of light that enters the eye is controlled by a pupil which acts as an aperture. The light is then captured as an image on the retina.
The retina is a layer of nerve tissue that lines the inner back of the eyeball and contains millions of cells that perceive light, colour and fine details. The image will then be sent to the brain for interpretation via the optic nerve.
The eye has internal active muscles which help in focussing image while external muscles control the movement of the eye enabling us to look around. So it isn’t just an ordinary camera.
80 per cent of all learning comes through the eyes. The eyes can focus on 50 different objects every second and differentiate about 10 million different colours.
In fact, it has a resolution of 576 megapixels, which is about 48 times better than the iPhone. When both eyes work together we enjoy three-dimension vision.
You need a good pair of eyes to enjoy everything that you see.
Healthy and balanced diets are the keywords to maintain good eyesight. Antioxidants, particularly beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin can reduce the risk and progression of cataracts.
Omega 3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration and help in dry eyes. Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for the retina, vitamin E is a potent antioxidant and Vitamin C is a precursor for collagen synthesis of the cornea.
Here is the source where to get them.
1)Beta carotene – carrot, pumpkin, sweet potatoes
2) Lutein and zeaxanthin – green leafy/ colourful vegetables eg: kale and spinach, orange bell pepper
3) Omega 3 – Salmon, mackerel, sardine, tuna, tofu, walnuts, chia seeds
4) Vitamin A – carrots, sweet potatoes
5) Vitamin C – orange, mango, strawberries
6) Vitamin E – nuts, seeds, avocado, green leafy vegetables, salmon
With the digital revolution, computers and electronic gadgets continuously played a major role in our life. Working-age groups in particular are exposed to prolonged use of computers.
Although no specific evidence showed that long term use of computers can damage our eyes, there is a collective of symptoms observed called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Computer vision syndrome describes a group of eye and vision-related problems due to prolonged computer, tablet and cell phone use.
It was postulated that when someone is working at a computer, repetitive eye movement to focus, refocus, shift and chase the images while coordinating with the fingers in order to send multiple images to the brain.
These rapid movements need effort from eye muscles and the contrast from the screen will add the effort. The eyes can become dry easily due to staring at the screen.
Common symptoms include eye strain and headaches. Others are transient blurring of vision, dry eyes, red eyes, eye irritation and neck pain. Those with underlying vision problems and who work long periods on the digital screen are more susceptible.
Fortunately, the symptoms are reversed if one has sufficient break. If the problem is not addressed and ignored it can affect a person’s well-being and work performance.
The crucial way to protect your eye is to get your eyes checked and make sure your glasses prescription is up to date, especially for children. If you need to view the screen for a long hour you can consider special lens coatings.
Avoid too much glare from your computer and its surroundings or use a screen glare filter. To reduce the eye and neck strain, position your screen 15-20 degrees below your eye level, about 60 cm away from your seat.
Frequent blinking is important to keep your eyes moist. Keep artificial tears eye drops handy and drops them regularly to your eyes.
Rule 20-20-20 is easy to remember. Simply look 20 feet away for 20 secs for every 20 minutes of screen use. Wearing 99% UV protection sunglasses and quit smoking have been shown to reduce the risk of cataract progression and macular degeneration.
For outdoor workers, particularly welders, a pair of protective glasses must be worn to avoid injury.
Similar to other systemic diseases, the risk of having eye disease comes with age. Get your eyes checked at 45 years old and regularly thereafter. If you are a diabetic patient or if you are at risk of having glaucoma check earlier.
Source: This article is written by Dr. Helen Tan Chen Chen, Cataract & Refractive Surgeon M.D.(USM), M.OPHTHAL(UM), Am(Mal)
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