IMPACT OF EXCESSIVE DIGITAL SCREEN EXPOSURE ON OCULAR HEALTH AND AYURVEDIC PREVENTIVE MEASURES: A LITERATURE REVIEW

The increasing dependence on smartphones, computers, tablets, and various digital technologies has considerably elevated screen exposure among individuals of all age groups. Excessive use of digital screens has become a significant public health issue because of its detrimental impact on eye health.Extended screen viewing is linked with conditions such as Digital Eye Strain (DES), Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), dry eye disorder, blurred vision, headaches, visual tiredness, and accommodative abnormalities. Ayurveda highlights the importance of preserving vision through preventive and health-promoting measures. This narrative review aims to assess the effects of prolonged digital screen exposure on ocular health and examine Ayurvedic preventive interventions for sustaining visual well-being. Relevant literature was gathered from classical Ayurvedic texts, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ophthalmology journals published between 2010 and 2025. The findings suggest that prolonged screen usage is closely related to ocular discomfort, decreased blinking frequency, instability of the tear film, and visual exhaustion. Ayurvedic principles including Netra Rakshana, Dinacharya, Chakshushya Ahara, Tarpana, Nasya, Anjana, and Rasayana therapy may serve as supportive preventive strategies to minimize screen-induced ocular strain. The combined application of Ayurvedic preventive practices and contemporary ergonomic guidelines may help enhance ocular health in the modern digital age.