Getting an eye exam is an act of foresight

Staring at screens for long hours is leading to conditions like dry eyes and myopia. Yet, eye health is not given the attention it deserves

- Tanisha Saxena

When covid-19 confined millions to their homes, it exposed not just the vulnerabilities in public health systems but also in how we define wellness. Screens replaced classrooms, offices, and social lives. As anxiety spiked and routines collapsed, attention turned to sleep, mental health, and immunity. But in the recalibration of self-care, one crucial organ was overlooked: the eyes.

Now, a growing body of research suggests that vision health is far more than a matter of eyesight. It's an early warning system for chronic illness, a marker of neurological function, and a casualty of modern life. According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), global vision impairment is projected to rise by 55% over the next three decades. With digital eye strain affecting younger demographics at unprecedented levels, eye health is fast becoming one of the most urgent—and under-recognized—frontiers in preventive medicine.

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RISING TOLL OF MYOPIA AND DRY EYES

Never before in human history have so many people spent so many hours staring at screens. Children now attend digital classrooms; adults toggle between devices for work and leisure. The question looms: What is this doing to our eyes?

"Studies show that prolonged screen time, especially up close, can contribute to a rise in myopia (nearsightedness), particularly in children. While some argue that digital eye strain is overblown, the reality is that screens can cause strain, dryness in eyes, and discomfort in the short term and conditions like myopia in the long term," says Dr Ajay Sharma, founder and chief medical director of Eye-Q Eye Hospitals, Gurugram.