Windows to the World: Taking Care of Your Eyes

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:

• Irritation, discomfort, grittiness
• Itchiness, burning sensation
• Red or tired eyes
• Visual disturbances
• Eye discharges (white)
• Eyelids stuck in the mornings

Some causes of dry eyes are:

• Excessive use of the computer, reading
  or watching too much television
• Air-conditioning, wind
• Driving, air travel
• Smoking
• Allergy or atopy
• Contact lens wear
• Lasik or cataract surgery
• Age, postmenopausal syndrome
• Use of medications, eye drops
• 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.