Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 1-15-16 Edition

Health
Do You Have Digital Eye Strain?
7 Areas Of Your Body You Don’t Check Enough
Staring at a screen for more than two hours per day in- creases your risk of digital eye strain, also known as computer vi- sion syndrome.
Approximately 8 in
10 people with digital
eye strain use multiple screens at the same time, according to a report from The Vision Council released (Jan. 6).
In addition, 96 percent of people with digital eye strain look at a screen for more than two hours a day, which can make the symptoms worse.
What’s digital eye strain? Ba- sically, it’s when your eyes hurt after looking at a computer, tablet, or phone screen for too long. Symptoms include eye ir- ritation, dry eyes, blurred vi- sion, and neck and back pain, the Vision Council says.
These symptoms may be caused by glare, poor lighting, uncorrected vision problems (such as nearsightedness), and sitting too close to a screen, ac-
cording to the Ameri- can Optometric Asso- ciation (AOA). The problem is also called computer vision syn- drome.
Adults younger than 30 have the highest rate of digital eye
strain.
To avoid digital eye strain: Consider wearing a pair of glare-reducing com- puter glasses, The Vision Coun- cil recommends. Gunnar is a popular brand among gamers and professionals. You can also find inexpensive options on- line.
Remember the 20-20 rule: For every 20 minutes of screen time, look far into the distance for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a chance to rest and refocus, the AOA says.
Position the center of your computer screen four to five inches below eye level, the AOA recommends. For many people, this is more comfortable than looking at a screen straight-on.
One of the many wonderful things about your body is that it has built-in sickness sensors, and experts say you can spot early warning signs of even seri- ous conditions simply by looking at your body.
1. Check Your Nails - If you see dark lines
on the nail
beds, it could
mean you have
skin cancer.
Yellowish,
brown, or
black stripes are a sign of cell damage, possibly from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, says Ariel Ostad, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City.
If you see long, white, hori- zontal bands of discoloration on the nail’s surface and you’ve been feeling fatigued lately, it could be bad news for your kid- neys.
2. Check Your Armpits - If you see a
patch of
rough, dark
skin, it could
be a diabetes
warning. Ex-
cess insulin in
your bloodstream can cause skin cells to multiply abnormally fast, leading to a buildup of tissue and melanin. This makes the skin look darker and feel thicker, and most commonly occurs in the armpits, neck, or groin. A simple blood test can determine whether you have the disease.
3. Check Your Eyelids, Knees, And Elbows - If you see small, soft
lumps that
look white or waxy, they could be small deposits of
cholesterol. Unfortunately, this sign could mean your cholesterol levels are unhealthy; a serious risk factor for heart disease.
4. Check Your Scalp - Thinning
hair is a
common
indicator
of a thy-
roid disor-
der, which
affects about 10 percent of Amer- ican women. When your thyroid (a gland in the middle of your neck) is out of whack, it can dis- rupt the balance of male and fe- male sex hormones. The result: More strands in your brush and hair that feels coarse and brittle, says Sandra Fryhofer, M.D., a physician in private practice in Atlanta.
Excessive scalp shedding can mean you have a lot of stress. Stress can cause excessive amounts of the hormone cortisol to overwhelm your immune sys- tem and dry out your scalp. A drugstore dandruff shampoo can help, but you should also try to get more sleep, breathe more deeply, and unpack that over- packed schedule.
5. Check Your Abs - If you see thick, dark
hair (or stub-
ble) extending
toward your
belly button in
a diamond
shape (rather
than growing downward from the top of the pubic bone), it could be a sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), says Pamela Berens, M.D., an ob- gyn at the University of Texas Medical School.
Caused by overproduction of androgens, the condition can lead to irregular or heavy peri-
ods, weight gain, acne, and thick, dark hair on the belly, face, chest, and back. As many as one in 10 women have PCOS, which can be a risk factor for serious problems like infertility and heart disease. If you have symptoms, see your ob-gyn; she might prescribe birth control pills to get your hormones back in check.
6. Check Your Tongue - If you see a white,
yellow, or or-
ange coating, it
could mean
you’re suffering
from acid re-
flux. Normally,
a one-way valve at the bottom of the esophagus makes sure that whatever goes down doesn’t come back up. Acid reflux occurs when this valve opens sponta- neously and the contents of your stomach make a break for your throat, leaving your tongue coated in digestive acids.
Most reflux can be treated with OTC antacids or simply by avoiding acidic and spicy foods; if those measures don’t work, see your doctor. You may need pre- scription meds to reduce your body’s production of stomach acid.
7. Check Your Eyes - If you see undereye
circles that
won’t go
away, you
could have al-
lergies. Es-
sentially,
once an allergen hits your body, which in response releases hista- mine, this chemical makes blood vessels swell with blood and other fluids, often resulting in dark patches where the skin is thinnest. A skin test can deter- mine which allergen is causing your symptoms.
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