Lately, Mumbai-based Ankita Sinha (name changed on request) ends up watching more than 10 videos, one after the other, everyday. Even if she wants to, she cannot seem to skip any of them. Because of such prolonged exposure to the digital screen, her eyes feel dry or experience a burning sensation, and her head hurts often. 

Before you jump to conclusions and think Sinha has a binge-watching problem – that is not it. The 28-year-old teaches theatre in a South Mumbai school, and like all other subjects, her course too moved online during the pandemic. “Earlier, the students used to perform in front of me and I would grade them. But now, they record their assignments and send it. Sometimes, they have to re-send or re-do it as well. So the time I spend on the computer has tripled almost,” she observes. Her typical work day has gone from six hours pre-pandemic to about 10 hours now. “My eyes hurt so much. I do put eye drops as suggested by my doctor but most of the time they are red and swollen.”