Eyes provide us sight without which life would lose most of its meaning and this loss can never be compensated. It has been very well said  in Ayurveda texts that “those who wish to live long life, they must take precautions  for protection of their eyes because for a blind, day and night are one and the same. Today, a new and much emerging problem related to the eyes which needs much emphasis is computer vision syndrome(CVS).CVS is a condition which is caused by focusing the eyes on a computer screen for a protracted uninterrupted period of time. This condition is further aggravated by improper lighting or glare or air moving past the eyes. When we concentrate on the computer moniter, our eyes tends to blink less resulting in drying up of tears causing dryness of eyes. If due to any allergy or infection tears are  less secreted or break up early, then the condition of CVS may become worse.  

Feature of CVS
1.    Strain on the vision
2.    Tiredness and heaviness in the eyes
3.    Watery eyes
4.    Itching and pain in the eyes
5.    Redness and irritation in the eyes
6.    Pain in the head and back muscles
7.    Double vision
Treatment: Getting eye examined at regular intervals for refractive errors and keeping a good lubricating eye drops handy play an anchoring role in CVS. Ayurveda has plenty of options for a patient of computer vision syndrome (CVS) depending on severity of dysfunctions.
It includes:
1.    Medicated ghrita (ghee): Triphala ghrita, Jeevaniya ghrita, trivrata ghrita
2.    Anjan(collyrium): Rasanjanadi varti, triphalaphal majja varti
3.    Tarpan karma: Triphala ghrita, shatavari ghrita, cow ghrita
4.    Seka: Darvi kwath,triphala kwath
5.    Vidalaka: Chandan lepa, haritiki churana lepa
6.    Nasya: Anu taila, cow ghrita.
7.    Shiroabhyanga:-Bhringaraja taila, tila taila
8.    Netra prakshalan: Triphala kwath, saunf kwath
9.    Ashchyotana(eye drops):-Amla swarasa, madhu, rose water, tulsi savrasa.
Eye exercises for CVS: Start by looking straight forward, neck and spine straight and relaxed, focusing on a point exactly in front of you. Without moving your head or neck, look at the ceiling and the floor, moving your eyes up and down. Repeat this motion 6 times in moderate speed ending you eyes looking straight forward where you have started. After this follow the same pattern and move your eyes left and right by looking the farthest point in both ends. Repeat this exercise for 6 times. After that rub your hands together until they become warm, then close your eyes and cup your hands over your eyes and feel the soothing warmth. Keep the hands over your eyes for 15 minutes and repeat rubbing your palms and cupping your eyes 3 times. Move your eyeballs in all around in a clockwise direction 6 times then in anticlockwise 6 times. During these exercise head and neck should be motionless and let your eyes do the stretching. Maintain a relaxed breathing.
Prevention of CVS:-
1.    Always use good light to read and choose fonts and colors with good contrasts and visibility to minimize strain.
2.    Put monitor of your computer or laptop at a comfortable height, so that it reaches to your eye level.
3.    If you use contact lens, take care not to over wear the lenses
4.    Take breaks and blink your eyes every now and then and look out from the window to a distant object or to the sky. Follow 20-20-20 rule by giving break to yours eyes after every 20 minutes, focusing an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
5.    Reduce glare on computer screen by closing the curtains.
6.    Protect your eyes from dust.
1. Lecturer,
Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar.
2. Professor, (IPGT & R) Gujrat Ayurved University (Jamnagar ) Gujrat.