If you are a student, you should be concerned about your eyes because there are risks to your eye health that other demographics may not have. For example, you face a heightened risk of:
Dry Eyes
Many students spend a lot of time reading, which is good because they are working towards their chosen professions. However, you risk developing a dry eye syndrome if you are constantly reading or working on a computer. This is a condition in which your eyes lack enough tears to lubricate and nourish them. Symptoms of the condition include:
Prevent your eyes from drying out by:
Conjunctivitis
Also known as a pink eye, this is a condition in which the thin clear tissue that covers the inside of your eyelids, as well as the white part of the eye, gets inflamed. It may be caused by bacteria, virus, chemical irritants or your body's reaction to allergens.
Students are at increased risk of conjunctivitis because it spreads fast in crowded conditions. Those who have the responsible bacteria or virus may leave it on doorknobs, chairs, desks or even walls of the school. You get the disease when you touch the contaminated surfaces and rub your eyes.
Apart from the obvious inflammation, other symptoms of a pink eye include itchy eyes, redness in the white part of the eye, discharge from the eyes (it may be white or green), and increased light sensitivity. Prevent a pink eye by washing your hands (with soap) regularly, not sharing eye makeup and avoiding the urge to rub your eyes.
Myopia
Myopia is a condition of nearsightedness, meaning you can clearly see objects that are near, but not those that are far. It develops if your cornea is too curved or eyeball is too long, which makes the light entering your eyes focus in front of, rather than on, the retina. Apart from nearsightedness, you may also experience frequent headaches, fatigues and squinting when engaged in activities that require intense eye focus such as sports.
Myopia seems to run in families, and it may also worsen with age. Students may develop the condition because they spend lots of time looking at objects (such as books, smartphones and computers) at close up positions. Since most reading is carried out indoors, students don't get enough of the bright light that helps the eye to maintain the distance between the retina and the eye lens.
If you are a student, you need to take precautions to maintain a good eye health. If you are a parent of students, you should help them to watch out for their eye health. This includes encouraging frequent breaks from studies (both on books and computers) and washing their hands regularly. It's also important to keep up with regular appointments at a clinic such as Elk Grove Optometry.
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