We use our eyes at every waking moment. As someone who grew up in front of the screen and now works five days a week in front of one, I feel blessed that I don’t need glasses. And I would like to keep it that way. But, being cooped up at home where everything from work, communication, to entertainment is on the screen, left me concerned. What can I do to keep my eyes healthy?

So recently the nice folks at Essilor gave me a chance to talk to Woon Pak Seong, Malaysian Optometrists Association Advisor.

Turns out Woon is a hobbyist as well. While I paint miniatures, he builds hobby kits. Looking at the Warhammer 40,000 Captain that I painted, he advised me to get a magnifier lamp. He said that as long as the magnification glass is optically well made, it will not be harmful to my eyes. In fact, it may help me reduce eye strain while painting those small details. So, I ordered one from Shopee.

Anyway, Woon explains that good eye care begins with an annual comprehensive eye exam. Every six months for a kid. What he means by a comprehensive eye exam is one that is done by a trained optometrist. It includes various tests such as for cataract, glaucoma, the pressure re of your eyeball, how your eyes work together, and more. Not just for corrective lenses.

This test, he says, can be done at any eye care centre with an optometrist (like a pharmacy with a pharmacist).

In his like of work, one of the misconceptions that Woon often see is parents not wanting their child to get prescription glasses. They are worried that glasses would deteriorate their child’s vision. He explains that if a child’s prescription increases, it would do so with or without glasses. However, and more importantly, it could be a sign of something worse that could be treated early.

Speaking of treatments, Woon says that now there are treatments for short-sightedness that could alleviate the symptoms. It turns the prescription curve into a gentle slope so the kid won’t end up with thick glasses when they are older.

He added that an optometrist could also help you identify symptoms. Maybe your eyes are dry because you don’t bink enough and work in an air-conditioned room, they could suggest getting a humidifier. Maybe your eyes get tired from straining too much when working at a dimly lit desk, they could suggest getting a work lamp. The point is, don’t just self-medicate with eye drops and eyewash. Seek a medical professional.

When it comes to best practices, Woon advises that we do three main things: work in a well-lit area (use daylight bulbs), wear sunglasses when you’re outside (even for kids and with hats if possible), and practice the 20 20 20. For every 20 minutes, let your eyes rest for 20 seconds by staring at something at least 20 yards away (just relax and look at the horizon for a bit).

Colin Madigan, Essilor Education & Professional Services Director said that the colour of the light and the sunglasses that we use is not as important as actually using them appropriately based on our needs. For example, if you like warm daylight (amber) go ahead use them, they are like blue blockers (amber coloured sunglasses that blocks blue light), but when you need to see something with colour accuracy, use a cool daylight source, or clear glasses that block blue light.

If you ever meet Colin, ask him about carrots, traffic lights, and the model of a ship that took him three years to build.

As a huge thanks to Essilor for setting up the interview, there’s Dennis Chng, Essilor Malaysia and Singapore Country Manager who announced that Essilor is running a lifestyle promotion. For a limited time, buy 1 pair of any Crizal® or Varilux® lenses and get the next pair at 50% off.

The idea is that generally, you would want to have a pair of glasses with different attributes for different activities or purposes. For example, at home, you might want a Varilux Crizal to protect your eyes and gives you the best vision at any distance. However, when you are outdoors, you might want a Crizal Transition that turns dark when exposed to UV light.

Fun fact, Varilux by Essilor is the world’s first progressive lens. By progressive, I mean a multi-focal lens that is seamless. Get more information on eye care at the Essilor website.