A new habit to protect your eyesight under a new lifestyle!
Due to school closures and online classes due to the effects of the new coronavirus, opportunities for children to use computers, tablets, and smartphones at home for long periods of time are increasing. An increasing number of adults are also teleworking, and it is becoming increasingly unthinkable to live without a computer, just like children.
Due to these effects, there are now an increasing number of children who have advanced myopia and adults who complain of eye strain. In the case of children in particular, if it is normal every year, they will notice that their eyesight is deteriorating when they have an eye exam at school in the spring. Since myopia progresses most rapidly between the ages of 7 and 11, visual acuity declines rapidly.
Therefore, there is a super simple method to prevent vision loss that I would like to recommend. This is the 20/20/20 rule, which has spread mainly in English-speaking countries such as the United States.
The 20-20-20 rule states that after 20 minutes of viewing a digital screen on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, you should take a break and look at an object 20 feet (6 meters) or more away for 20 seconds. Look out the window during your 20 second break. This helps prevent vision loss and eye strain.
It was invented by California optometrist Jeffrey Anshel, and is recommended by both the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology as a way to reduce eye strain. I recommend it to everyone regardless of age.
Make use of the kitchen timer and make the "20-20-20 rule" a habit!
Staring at an object within 30 cm of the eye for more than 30 minutes will result in myopia. The point is not to watch it continuously. After 20 minutes, take your eyes off and move. When you stand up, your gaze goes far away, and that alone relaxes the tension in the ciliary muscle, which adjusts the focus of your eyes.
On average, humans blink 15 times every 60 seconds, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. When using a computer or mobile phone, the blink rate is reduced to an average of one-third, leading to eye strain and dry eyes. Yes, looking at an object more than 6 meters away for 20 seconds and resting will also normalize the number of blinks.
When you're working on your computer or smartphone, you tend to get carried away and forget the "20-20-20 rule". Put a kitchen timer on your desk to help you take breaks every 20 minutes. why 20 seconds? It takes about 20 seconds for your eyes to fully relax.
While you're resting your eyes, it's also recommended to stand up and take a glass of water to keep yourself hydrated. If your body is hydrated, your eyes will be healthy too. Walking around the room can also reduce eye stress.
Children who spend more time playing outdoors are less likely to be nearsighted.
For children, what I want them to do with the "20-20-20 rule" is to play outside. A recent study found that children who spent two hours a day outdoors were four times less likely to be myopic than those who spent less than one hour a day.
Children who were exposed to light with a brightness of 1,000 lux or more for 11 hours or more per week were less likely to develop myopia. 1,000 lux is difficult to achieve unless outdoors. Generally, it is about 300 lux indoors, and about 800 lux by a window. Outdoors, even in the shade, it reaches several thousand luxes.
Even on a normal school day, it is said that the time spent in the sun is about one hour. 11 hours a week, or less than 2 hours a day, in the sun is tough. However, parents should try to let their children play outside as much as possible. Just go out on the balcony. Make a conscious effort to spend more time in the sun, whether it's shaded or cloudy.
Enjoy the game on the big screen
When playing games on smartphones, tablets, etc., the distance between the screen and the eyes tends to get closer. Not looking at the screen for a long time at a close distance is a very important point to prevent vision loss.
If you want to enjoy the game, it is also recommended to enjoy it on a large screen TV at a distance. The optimal viewing distance for LCD TVs is approximately three times the height of the screen. Of course, don't forget the "20-20-20 rule".
Exposure to blue light emitted from TVs and smartphones before going to bed reduces the secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it difficult to sleep well. Sleep is important for maintaining healthy eyesight. Avoid blue light-emitting TVs and smartphones an hour before bed.
The 20-20-20 rule is a very simple and effective way to protect your eyes. If you keep looking at your computer or smartphone for 20 minutes, all you have to do is look at something more than 6 meters away for 20 seconds.
