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HEalth: Five Smart Ways to Ptotect Your Eyes
Too much sun, smoking and squinting at computer screens can all damage our eyes. Swot up and take action with this simple five-step guide
Eye of the beholder: electronic devices may be damaging to your eyes Photo: Alamy
By Jessica Powell
10:15AM BST 01 Sep 2015
Learn more about UV protection
1. Keep your distance
Spending long stretches of time looking at a computer screen can cause eye strain. However, smartphones and tablets pose an even bigger problem. Research has shown that when we read on these devices we bring them closer to our faces than we would a desktop or printed text because the typeface is smaller and pixelated.
“Your eyes have to work harder to focus on things close up, so this can make them tired and cause headaches,” says Andy Hepworth, dispensing optician and professional relations manager for Essilor.
He recommends taking a five-minute screen break at least every couple of hours and limiting unnecessary usage.
Yes, that might mean temporarily detaching from Facebook. Stay strong.
2. Limit the light “Electronic devices emit slightly more blue light than traditional light sources,” says Hepworth. “Sunlight delivers a much larger amount of this, and in lab research has shown that it could be contributing to macular degeneration [a condition that causes gradual loss of central vision].“While the exposure you get from digital devices is not powerful enough to cause damage alone, when you add it to that from the sun and other sources, such as modern low-energy light bulbs, it’s a compounding factor.” To fight back, set a digital blackout deadline: a time by which you will turn off all devices and dim the lights to give your eyes a break. If you wear glasses, Hepworth notes, you can also opt for lenses, such as Crizal Prevencia, that filter out 20 per cent of the most damaging part of blue-violet light to offer very useful eye protection.Dark arts: squinting at screens can be bad for your eyes Photo: Getty
3. Stub it out When you consider the impact of smoking on your body you might automatically think about your lungs. But Hepworth notes that it can also have a serious impact on your eyes. “Age-related macular degeneration is one of the biggest causes of blindness in Europe and smoking is a major contributing factor, as it can result in free radicals in your system that can damage your eyes.” For back-up, call the Smokefree National Helpline on 0300 123 1044.
4. Reduce the rays “As well as blue-violet light, sunlight exposes your eyes to UV rays, which can contribute to several eye conditions,” says Hepworth.While we may all know about popping on sunglasses in the summer, he notes that we should try to protect our eyes and the skin that surrounds them year-round. “Quite a lot of blue and UV light will be hitting your eyes from sunlight, even on cloudy days,” he says. So, like a celebrity, wear those shades whenever you can. Alternatively, if you wear glasses, you can opt for clear lenses with in-built UV protection, such as the Crizal UV range, or even better a pair of Transitions lenses which will offer even greater UV protection.
5. Healthy diet “Eating healthily will also help in protecting your eyes, and dark leafy greens along with bright fruits are especially good,” says Hepworth.“They contain antioxidants that help protect against damage at the back of your eyes.” So think of fruit and veg as the real see-food. Watch the video to discover the benefits of Crizal UV Protective Lenses >>
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