Windows to the World:
Taking Care of Your Eyes
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Are you constantly
rubbing your eyes?
Do your eyes look red at
the end of the day?
Do you sometimes
experience blurring when
you look at the words on
your computer screen?
You may be suffering
from dry eyes.
Dr Khoo Chong Yew,
Consultant
Ophthalmologist, Raffles
Eye Centre, shares with
us why office workers
are susceptible to
Visual Display Terminal
(VDT) syndrome, and
especially eye fatigue.
VDT syndrome comprises
symptoms experienced by
people who use computers
for long durations.
These include headache,
backache, neck ache,
wrist strain and very
often, eye fatigue, due
to the long hours in
front of the computer
monitor.
General Fatigue
The eyes are usually the
first part of the body
to feel fatigue if you
are overworked and
tired. Eye fatigue
could also be a symptom
of a general systemic
disorder such as flu,
thyroid disorder,
anaemia, liver or kidney
disease, diabetes,
cancer, obstructive
sleep disorder or a
psychological disorder.
You will therefore need
to consult your general
practitioner for a
general health check.
If all tests are normal,
you could be suffering
from Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome.
Dry Eyes
If you have dry eyes,
the use of the computer
will aggravate the
problem. This is because
when you are typing or
reading off the monitor,
your blink frequency is
reduced, resulting in
dry eyes.
The symptoms of dry eyes
are:
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Irritation,
discomfort,
grittiness
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Itchiness, burning
sensation
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Eyelids stuck in the
mornings
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Some causes of dry eyes
are:
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Excessive use of the
computer, reading or
watching too much
television
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Lasik or cataract
surgery
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Age, postmenopausal
syndrome
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Use of medications,
eye drops |
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Eyelid disorders
(loose lids) |
There are different
treatments for dry eyes,
depending on the
severity of the eye
condition. For
mild dry eyes, you can
use artificial tears eye
drops, blink more
frequently, and for
smokers, to stop
smoking. For those
who suffer from moderate
dry eyes, you can apply
hyaluronate eye drops,
use punctal plugs,
moisture side shields
and humidifiers in the
room.
In cases of severe dry
eyes, one can use
anti-inflammatory drugs
and medicated eye drops.
Intake of Omega-3 fatty
acids and Vitamin C will
also help to alleviate
the problem.
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Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Dated: May 2011
|
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
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