Among the sense organs, Ayurveda gives prime importance to the eyes. It says “ Sarvendriyaanam Nayanam Pradhanam“. According to Ayurveda the eyes are ruled by the Sun and because of this nature eyes are said to be fiery and more irritated in summer season.
Staring at a computer monitor for long hours has become a daily routine and inevitably all of that staring and work strain can put a real strain on your eyes.
Eye problem caused due to excess computer use is known as Digital Eye Strain or Computer Vision Syndrome. It has become a common problem not only in the workforce but also in kids who stare at video games and mobile phones for long hours.
If you have any two or more of these symptoms don’t ignore them. The causative factors may be poor lighting, continuous glare on digital screen, improper viewing distances, poor seating posture, uncorrected vision problems or a combination of one or more of these factors.
The science of Ayurveda holds eyes in high esteem and there is a wide variety of internal and external medications to treat Digital Eye Strain. The ideal procedure to be done for pampering the peepers is Netra Tarpanam or Netra Basti.
During netra basti, medicated ghee is liquefied and after filtering it, the medicine is poured into the medial canthus of the closed eye up to the level of the eyelashes. The liquid is held in place by an herbal paste boundary or dam, built up around the eye socket. Once filled with ghee, the eyes should be opened and closed slowly. Medicated ghee should be retained for a specific time (up to 25 minutes) inside this herbal paste boundary.
“Tarpayate ithi tarpanam” – To nourish or irrigate the eyes.
Various medicated ghees can be used like Triphala ghee or Brahmi ghee. This procedure has proven to be highly effective in reducing symptoms like eye pain and strain, recurrent headaches, dry eyes and vision problems. It has both curative and preventative effects.1
For strong, well-lubricated eyes, include the following foods in your diet.
The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are primarily found in green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. These act as important nutrients for eye health since the macula, the small central portion of the retina, has both of these in high concentrations.
The yolk is a prime source of lutein and zeaxanthin and also has a rich supply of zinc. It should not be over cooked since overcooking damages the proteins in the egg. So have eggs as lightly cooked as possible like poached or soft boiled.
Carrots are a rich source of beta carotene, important for healthy eyes.
Both citrus and berries are a rich source of vitamin C, an important nutrient for healthy eyes.
A handful of almonds will supply almost half of your daily requirement of vitamin E.
Tuna, mackerel and anchovies contain DHA, a fatty acid in the retina that’s found to be effective in dry eye syndrome.2
Rest is sweet when fatigued. Rest always improves vision and effort always lowers it. Research has proved that relaxed people blink more which moistens the eyes.3 The question then is how to relax the eyes? There are quite a few techniques for eye relaxation.
Sunning supplies a wonderful source of energy to the eyes. It also helps in increasing blood circulation to the eyes. Sunning should be practiced during sunrise or sunset in a sitting posture with feet flat on the floor, hands rested on knees, chin raised and eyes closed. Face the sun and sway your body side to side for a period of 50 counts or 3 minutes.
Palming helps reduce stress and strain. Sit comfortably, covering your eyes with your palms. Cross your fingers while supporting your forehead, elbows resting on a soft pillow.
Consciously move your eyes from one point to another.
Arms outstretched, swing your body from right to left slowly, looking in the direction of your body’s movement. Swinging breaks the staring habit and helps in changing your focus.
Tartaka is a candle gazing exercise which improves concentration and focus. Sit comfortably facing a candle flame placed 20 inches away from you. Stare at the flame until tears begin to form, then close your eyes. Retain the concentration with eyes closed. An image of the flame may appear in your mind. When the image begins to fade, turn your attention to the flow of the breath and continue to watch the breath for 7-8 minutes, eyes closed.
Splash cold water on the eyes to help relax them. Allow the eyes to dry on their own.
Close your eyes and apply a cool cloth over them. This will soothe the eyes.
The eyes are a reflection of the body’s overall health. Care for them and understand that the time is now for your future vision health.
REFERENCES
1 Gupta, Durgesh Prasad, Manjusha Rajagopala, and Kartar Singh Dhiman. “A Clinical Study on Akshitarpana and Combination of Akshitarpana with Nasya Therapy in Timira with Special Reference to Myopia.” Ayu. Medknow Publications Pvt Ltd, 2010. Web. 29 June 2017.
2 Bhargava, Rahul, Prachi Kumar, Manjushrii Kumar, Namrata Mehra, and Anurag Mishra. “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Dry Eye Syndrome.” International Journal of Ophthalmology. International Journal of Ophthalmology Press, 2013. Web. 29 June 2017.
3 Polatsek, Patrik. “Eye Blink Detection.” (n.d.): n. pag. StudyLib.net. Web. <http://www2.fiit.stuba.sk/~fogelton/projects/PolatsekIITSRC.pdf>.
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