Mobile phone addiction, computer addiction, staying up late addiction... How to protect our overloaded eyes

Mobile phone addiction, computer addiction, staying up late addiction... How to protect our overloaded eyes

Xie Mengmeng, ophthalmologist at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Oriental Hospital

Eyes are the windows to the soul, and each of us hopes to have a pair of bright eyes. However, with the increasing popularity of electronic products, many people spend their free time browsing their phones, sitting in front of their computers all day, and staying up late at night to watch TV series. As the time and intensity of eye use increase, more and more people are overusing their eyes, and problems such as dry eyes, sore eyes, eye fatigue, and decreased vision are also coming along.

The harm of long-term overuse of eyes cannot be underestimated. It is not only easy to cause dryness, soreness, photophobia, unexplained tears, red bloodshot eyes, but also blurred vision and decreased vision. In extreme cases, it may even induce glaucoma or fundus lesions. Some patients may also experience eye swelling and headaches, which have a great impact on their lives and must be taken seriously.

What should I do if I experience eye discomfort?

In addition to consciously reducing the time spent using the eyes and using them scientifically, Chinese medicine has a trick. The Department of Ophthalmology of Oriental Hospital adheres to the principle of "giving equal importance to Chinese and Western medicine", actively follows the international frontier, and carries out various traditional treatments with Chinese medicine characteristics. Through years of clinical application, we have found that taking Chinese medicine internally, supplemented by external treatments such as auricular acupoint pressing pills, ear tip bloodletting, and Chinese medicine fumigation, can effectively relieve visual fatigue, improve sub-health conditions such as dry eyes and fatigue, and slow down the development of myopia. For patients with eye diseases who need surgery, it can improve anxiety, reduce symptoms such as pain caused by surgery, and promote recovery of patients after surgery.

Commonly used TCM ophthalmological treatments

Ophthalmology Chinese medicine prescription

1. Yin-nourishing and eyesight-improving prescription

Prescription: Buddleja mongholicus, Dendrobium officinale, etc.

Efficacy: Nourishes yin and kidney, improves eyesight and removes cataracts.

Suitable for people: Suitable for patients with vitreous opacities, senile cataracts and other eye diseases.

2. Liver-clearing, eye-brightening and eye-moistening drink (tea substitute )

Prescription: wolfberry, chrysanthemum, etc.

Efficacy: Clears the liver and reduces fire, nourishes yin and improves eyesight.

Suitable for people: People with dry eyes, visual fatigue and other eye diseases related to video terminal syndrome.

3. Hawthorn, honeysuckle and chrysanthemum tea (tea substitute)

Prescription: raw hawthorn, honeysuckle, and chrysanthemum.

Efficacy: Clears away heat and detoxifies, cools and disperses wind-heat, soothes the liver and improves eyesight.

Suitable for people: patients with eye diseases such as headache, dizziness, dry eyes, eye fatigue, etc.

Commonly used ophthalmic treatments

1. Ear acupuncture

Auricular acupuncture is a method of pressing pills on the acupuncture points or reaction points on the auricle by pressing pills such as fenugreek seeds and radish seeds to dredge the meridians, adjust the functions of the internal organs and blood, promote the balance of yin and yang in the body, and prevent and treat diseases and improve symptoms. It belongs to the category of auricular acupuncture technology. Auricular acupuncture is suitable for inflammatory diseases such as acute and chronic conjunctivitis and keratitis; juvenile myopia; preoperative anxiety and tension; postoperative foreign body sensation, pain and other discomforts in the eyes.

2. Bleeding from the tip of the ear

Bleeding from the tip of the ear is a method of bleeding by pricking the ear acupoint with a disposable blood collection needle. It was called "qi mai" and "ci luo" in ancient times, commonly known as bloodletting therapy. It is suitable for the treatment of sty, conjunctivitis, and high intraocular pressure.

3. Chinese medicine fumigation

Chinese medicine fumigation uses the dual effects of the medicinal efficacy of Chinese medicine and the heat of the medicine soup to act on the body through the skin to play the role of reducing swelling and relieving pain, clearing away heat and detoxifying, clearing heat and moisturizing dryness. It is suitable for blepharitis, dry eyes, visual fatigue, blepharitis, etc.

4. Ion introduction of traditional Chinese medicine

Ion introduction of traditional Chinese medicine uses electric current to introduce traditional Chinese medicine ions into the human body through the skin or acupuncture points, achieving the effects of dredging meridians, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, strengthening the body and eliminating evil. It is suitable for visual fatigue, dry eyes and various fundus diseases; it also has a certain auxiliary effect on the treatment of astigmatism, myopia and amblyopia.

Prevention and treatment of dry eyes and visual fatigue

1. Improve the quality of life: reduce the time of using electronic products, blink more, stay up late less, improve sleep quality and ensure adequate sleep.

2. Adjust your eye habits: do eye exercises regularly, do not rub your eyes with dirty hands, do not read in dim environments or while lying down, do not write while lying down, etc.

3. Physical therapy: Go to the hospital for treatments such as hot compresses on the eyes, meibomian gland massage, Chinese medicine fumigation, eye patches, acupuncture, etc.

4. Drug treatment: It is recommended to use drugs to promote tear secretion or use artificial tears instead of tears under the guidance of a doctor.