Staring at the laptop/computer all day long? Adopt these simple eye-friendly practices

Your job demands that you spend maximum time on the computer or laptop? If so, watch out, this is making you vulnerable to a host of other problems relating to vision discomfort, also called computer vision syndrome. Some of the common symptoms include watery eyes, headaches, increasing sensitivity to light and of course, difficulty focussing. While we can’t do away with the technological imperatives, we can certainly adopt a good eye-friendly behaviour. How do we do it?

Well here’s good news, avoiding eye-strain is actually quite easy, even if you have to stare at your computer screen for more than 8 hours. Just follow these few simple strategies that are not only good for your eyes but for your overall well-being.

1. Adopt the 20/20/20 principle:

When using computers, we tend to stare at the screen from a fixed distance for long periods of time. Practicing the 20/20/20 rule works wonders and to get it right, every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to look at an object that is 20 ft or more away from you. The reason? This keeps eye muscles from getting ‘locked up’ after constantly gazing at a computer. This, in a way, can also give your eyes a bit of a work-out.

2. Blink often

Numerous research & studies have documented that people barely blink, and if they do, it’s just one-third as often as they would normally blink. This triggers dryness on the eye surface, and considering today’s workplaces are air-conditioned, this further aggravates the condition. Blinking is very important when you are working all through the day on your laptop/PC/Tab etc. So remember to blink atleast 10 times slowly once in every 20 minutes. This helps moisten your eyes and prevents dryness and irritation while de-stressing eye muscles.

3. Consider wearing computer glasses:

Computer glasses are prescription glasses that are designed to wear when doing computer work. Modify your eye-glasses to create customised computer glasses. Computer glasses are a good choice if you wear bifocal lenses. You could consider lenses with anti reflective (AR) coating. Glasses are preferred over contact lenses because contact lenses can sometimes cause friction and discomfort if the eye is not well lubricated.

4. Modify your work place.
Position the computer screen 20-24 inches away from your eyes. The centre of your screen should be about 10 to 15 degrees below your eyes for the correct positioning of your head & neck.

5. Watch out for the display settings in your monitor:
Adjust the brightness of the computer screen in a way to match the brightness of the surrounding room. You can also install an anti-glare screen on the monitor to cut down on the distracting reflections on your monitor. Sometimes, even improper illumination can also contribute to this scenario of eye-strain. Avoid bright overhead lights shining directly on the monitor screen. It is advisable to opt for a flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors which have an anti-reflective surface.

Other such eye-friendly practices include, taking micro-breaks from computer use once in every hour to drink plenty of water to keep your eyes and skin well-hydrated. Also consider gently splashing cool water into your eyes once or twice in a day in case you sense eye dryness.

Also most importantly, remember to go for an annual eye check-up even if your vision seems normal. Doing so will help you safe guard your vision from future discomfort while detecting and addressing any issue at its early stage.

No one can force you to take health breaks. Nevertheless, you can do it for yourself. Your work will still get done. Infact you might even notice a spike in your productivity.

References:

www.thehindu.com

www.rebuildyourvision.com/

www.rebuildyourvision.com/

 

Picture Courtesy:

atozhomeremedies.com/

vision-care.co.uk

blog.phillips-safety.com/

eyestrain.com.au

smartbuyglasses.co.uk

webeca.com

eye-emporium.com

mywisegranny.com

As temperatures soar, you tend to gravitate towards anything cold – be it an air conditioned room or car, or even cold water and juices. This drastic change causes chaos in your body and gives rise to problems such as a cold, cough, fever, body ache and more.
Depending on allopathic medicines all the time isn’t a good idea as they are bound to cause unnecessary side effects in the long run. Instead, try home remedies that are easy, quick and effective in curing those irritating sneezes, runny nose and other symptoms without causing any side effects.
A speedy recovery depends on what you eat, how much fluid you drink and what activities you engage in. Thus, the chances of recovering improve if you rest as well as maintain a diet that is a mix of fluids and healthy home-cooked food.

Here are a few tips that can help you cure your summer cold and cough:
1. To cure a sore throat, gargle daily using hot water with a pinch of salt in it.

2. Wash your hands throughout the day with warm water and soap to avoid spread of germs. Keep hand sanitizers handy in case you are at a public place.

3. Drinking ample liquids such as water, fresh fruit juices, etc. These will help you maintain your body fluids and prevent dehydration.

4. Warm water mixed with a spoon of turmeric, ginger and honey can help relieve body ache, cold and head ache.

5. You can even try steam inhalation to get rid of a blocked nose. Adding eucalyptus oil in hot water can bring an instant relief as well.

6. Adding Tulsi leaves, crushed ginger and a pinch of black pepper while preparing tea is a tasty and sure way to relieve a cough and cold.

7. Spend some time out in the sun as its rays can help kill cold viruses. However, do not engage in any strenuous activity.

8. Though it is tough to keep indoors when there is so much going on in the outside world, exercise your self-control to allow your body to heal.
The next time you catch a cold, try these home remedies before popping a pill.

References:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/Tips-for-curing-cold-during-seasonal-change/articleshow/32542357.cms

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-treat-summer-colds.html

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Tuberculosis is one of the most common issues that continues to remain a cause for concern. In order to curb its spread and to engage with the public through awareness, March 24 was designated as the World Tuberculosis Day by the World Health Organisation. March 24 each year, is marked and designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis and to expand efforts to eliminate the disease. In 2012, 8.6 million people fell ill with TB, and 1.3 million died from the disease, mostly in developing countries.

World Tuberculosis Day falls as one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization. In 2016, the World Health Organisation has devised a campaign that will run under the strong and action-oriented tagline of “Unite to End TB”. The idea underlying this is that people should come together to not only spread awareness, but to work closely as partners in putting together efforts of strong mobilization on ground, to undertake high level advocacy and to call for all focal groups of people, regardless of their nationality, age, gender or profession, to work towards bringing an end to tuberculosis.

The motto of “Unite to End TB” will also be augmented by supplementary materials that carry specific messages that adjusted to the different partners’ local contexts. In 2014, there were 9.6 million cases of active TB which resulted in 1.5 million affected deaths. But, the number of new cases each year has decreased since 2000, and globally, tuberculosis has begun to come down in number thanks to awareness efforts such as this. This only indicates the power in global awareness campaigns that drive action and effort.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.timeanddate.com/
http://www.who.int
http://www.tbonline.info/

Picture Courtesy:

cdc.gov

aids.gov/

userscontent2.emaze.com/

Down syndrome is a condition that occurs naturally as a result of a chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition. It exists in all regions across the globe and results in many different kinds of effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health. The growth and development of an individual with Down Syndrome should be nurtured with appropriate and adequate access to health care, to early intervention programmes and to inclusive education, as well as appropriate research. These are vital for the progress of the individual.

The occurrence of Down Syndrome relates to the chromosomes in the body. Each cell has 23 pairs of chromosomes, with one half inherited from one parent, and the other half, from the other parent. When a person has an extra copy of chromosome 21, which is full or partial, Down Syndrome occurs. Because there is an extra copy, the course of development is altered and the characteristics of Down Syndrome are seen to occur.

When a person has Down Syndrome, physically, they have low muscle tone, small stature, eyes that are upward slanting and one deep crease across the centre of the palm. While these may be considered the generic characteristics, there are unique features to every individual. There are three kinds of Down Syndrome:  trisomy , translocation and mosaicism. Mosaicism is the least common type of Down Syndrome.

The causes for Down Syndrome remain unknown, but they say that maternal age remains one of the core factors that increases one’s chances of having a baby with Down Syndrome. They are genetic conditions in that there is a predisposition in favour of its occurrence if it has happened in the family earlier.

According to Down Syndrome International, “Down syndrome affects approximately 1 in 800 live births, although there is considerable variation worldwide. Down syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disability and associated medical issues.”

Reference:

https://www.facebook.com/

http://www.un.org/en/events/downsyndromeday/

https://en.wikipedia.org

The World Oral Health Day is celebrated annually on March 20, and is an international day to celebrate the benefits of a healthy mouth, and to promote global awareness on the key issues around oral health and the importance of oral hygiene to looking after everyone old and young. The World Oral Health Day is intended to be a day for people to have fun, in that it should be a day full of activities that make us laugh, sing and smile!

Over 90% of the world’s population will suffer from oral diseases in their lifetime. Many of these diseases can be avoided with an increased governmental, health association and society support and funding for prevention, detection and treatment programmes. The World Oral Health Day offers a platform to the dental and oral health community to take action and to help reduce the overall disease burden.

In 2016, the World Oral Health Day aims to get everyone to recognize the impact that their oral health has on overall physical health and well-being to help inspire a sense of change. The overall campaign platform for 2016 revolves around the theme of “healthy mouth, healthy body”. This powerful and engaging messaging is rooted in a global truth which informs the concept of oral health’s wider importance. With the idea of seeking to galvanize the audience to drive a movement for change, the flexible platform offers the opportunity to discuss many topics and audiences under one core message.

It is easy for anyone to participate in World Oral Health Day of 2016: whether you belong to a health association, a specialist group, a member organization and or as a partner, governmental groups, students, teachers, the public generally, and to large and so on. This year, the aim is to get as many people as possible to get talking and to promote oral health in their communities, and reach as large an audience as possible.

You can also practice these five simple steps to Healthy Teeth!

Reference:
http://www.worldoralhealthday.com

https://www.arrowsmiledental.com

Picture Courtesy : Pixabay

We are not a society of people who likes to keep things in a state of disrepair. We tend to rely a lot on our efforts to set things in order, and to maintain things in perfect working condition. But why don’t we extend this philosophy to our bodies? Regular health checkups are, instead of being a policy of an individual, being seen as a matter of dread.

Here are a few reasons why a regular health check up is necessary:
1. It is important to keep your body in good shape – but how will you know how your body is performing if you don’t study it from time to time? You need to have some measure of attention to what your body is responding to, in order to take appropriate steps to strengthen yourself.
2. You need to be up to date on all your vaccines and tests. With path breaking developments in science and technology on a regular basis, it is necessary to keep your health in order.
3. Prevention is always better than cure! It is vital to maintain good health by preventing illness. Regular health check-ups can help keep ill-health at bay.

4. Even when one may possibly have a health issue, going for regular health check-ups can help catch the illness earlier on. At most instances, a disease in an earlier stage of its development can be nipped in the bud, and can be cured.
5. Regular health checkups are vital for documentation and record keeping. It is particularly important when you have insurance plans and policies, and want to augment your financial records with complete details of your health, to make sure that you update your health reports periodically.
6. Regular health checkups are also important to help you create a chronicle of your health history. For your own wellbeing and understanding of your health graphs, and for the sake of medical assistance at any point, building a concrete set of records on your health will be useful.

Picture Courtesy:

blog.ithinksolutionsonline.com/

Pixabay

img.grouponcdn.com

References:
http://www.hellawella.com

http://www.indiatimes.com

http://www.medifee.com
https://www.manipalhospitals.com

Glaucoma is a name given to a group of eye diseases. They tend to cause progressive damage of the optic nerve, specifically at the point where the nerve leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain. Here are some facts to help you learn about and understand Glaucoma:

– If it is left untreated, most kinds of glaucoma tend to progress towards worsening visual damage and may also lead to blindness.
– Once glaucoma occurs and visual damage takes place, it is mostly irreversible. This is why glaucoma has been described as the “silent blinding disease” or the “sneak thief of sight”.
– Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 4.5 million people over the world are blind due to glaucoma and that this number will rise to 11.2 million by 2020.
– There are several types of glaucoma. Some kinds of glaucoma may occur as a complication of other visual disorders such as the so-called “secondary” glaucoma. But a vast majority of glaucoma cases are “primary,” i.e., that they occur without a known cause.
– It was once believed that the cause of most or all glaucoma was high pressure within the eye, known as intraocular pressure – sometimes abbreviated as IOP. It is established that even people without an abnormally high IOP may suffer from glaucoma. Intraocular pressure is considered as a “Risk Factor” for glaucoma together with other factors such as racial ancestry, family history, high myopia and age.
– Some forms of glaucoma may occur at birth or during infancy and childhood. In most cases, glaucoma appears after the forties, and its frequency increases with age. There is no clearly established difference in glaucoma incidence between men and women.
– The most common types of adult-onset glaucoma are Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) and Angle-Closure Glaucoma (ACG).

– Angle-Closure Glaucoma is often chronic, like POAG, but can sometimes be acute, in which case it usually presents as a very painful ocular condition leading to rapid vision loss.
– There is no cure for glaucoma as yet, and vision loss is irreversible. Medication or surgery (traditional or laser) can halt or slow-down any further vision loss. Early detection is essential to limiting visual impairment and preventing progressive degeneration towards severe visual handicap or blindness.

References:

http://www.wgweek.net/
http://www.glaucoma.org.au
www.glaucoma.org/
www.allaboutvision.com

Picture Courtesy:

glaucoma.org

wgweek.net

waeyecare.com/

wikimedia.org

www.wgweek.ne