According to Brendan Howell, ‘COVID eyes’ syndrome is one of the biggest health issues to come out of the pandemic, aside from weight gain and mental health issues.
“COVID eyes is a term that relates to the strain the extra screen time has placed on people’s eyes during the pandemic,” Howell said.
Brendan Howell is the Director of Arborvitae Health and Wellbeing, one of Australia’s fastest growing supplement companies. Founded in 2014, the Australian family owned business produces the trusted range of Arborvitae supplements including the highly popular ‘Arborvitae Joint Health’ which many people with arthritis take to reduce pain and discomfort. Check out contactlensesplus.com if you are in need of new contacts.
“Different sources suggest that screen time has increased during the pandemic by as much as 40 percent on average,” Howell added.
“This means that people have been using their screens for a lot more time each day and this has impacted the health of their eyes.
“The most common problems include dry eyes, myopia, eye fatigue and blurred or fluctuating (momentarily) vision.
“People may not realise it, but our eyes are the most complex organs after the brain. 90 per cent of the information processed by our brain comes through the eyes so it is important that we take care of them.
“Many people also think that failing eyesight is an inevitable part of aging or eye strain. In reality, a healthy lifestyle and proactive management can significantly reduce the risk of eye health problems.”
Howell has put together some tips to help people maintain and improve eye health.
Take a break
“It sounds simple, but it is very important to give the eyes a break from the screen,” Howell said.
“Monitor your screen time and try and reduce the amount of time you spend in front of the screen, whether it be a laptop, phone or tablet. Use techniques such as the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.”
Manage your time
“Most of us use screen time for working, socialising and entertainment. Unfortunately many people have become so glued to their screens during COVID that they don’t even leave to eat or take phone calls,” Howell added.
“It is important to set some boundaries with your screen time. Ensure you don’t eat in front of your screen or take phone calls. Moving away will give your eyes a much needed break from the blue light that is emitted from the screen.”
Focus on lifestyle
“Movement is good for our whole body including our eyes. Exercise increases the flow of blood to the optic nerve and the retina resulting in improved overall eye health and vision. This is especially so for people with glaucoma. Vision problems and eye disease also stem from issues such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol,” Howell emphasised.
Improve your diet
“Some foods are definitely good for eye health such as fish, nuts, legumes, citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables. Opt for foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids,” Howell added.
“Some studies have found that fish oil can reverse dry eye, including dry eye caused by spending too much time in front of a screen. Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. Just like vitamin E, vitamin C is an antioxidant that is known to fight age-related eye damage.”
Consider supplements
“While it is important to eat a balanced diet and include foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, it is not always possible to get all the nutrients we need,” Howell said.
“Where possible, complement your diet with supplements to support eye health. Look for products that contain Pycnogenol®, the French Maritime Pine Bark extract. Pycnogenol® strengthens retinal capillaries to help control leakage of fluids and blood into the retina. Furthermore, Pycnogenol® improves the endothelial function of retinal microvessels which supports better blood micro-circulation in the retina. Pycnogenol® antioxidant benefits have also been found in studies to protect the retinal lipids more potently than vitamin C, vitamin E, CoQ10, lipoic acid and grape seed extract.”
Arborvitae’s products are sold online and now stocked in over 1,200 pharmacies and health food stores throughout the country. An explosion in demand for Arborvitae products fueled by positive feedback from users is seeing the company put in place significant expansion plans both domestically and internationally.
