Delhi NCR eye specialists at Lifeline Eye Centre separate fact from fiction on rose water, kajal, blue light and children's screen time.
By Dr. Javed H. Farooqui, Lifeline Eye Centre
From grandmothers recommending gulab jal before bed to parents applying kajal on newborns, eye care myths are passed down through generations across Delhi NCR households. Many of these traditions come from a place of care, but some can actually do more harm than good — delaying proper treatment or causing irritation and infection. As a Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist at Lifeline Eye Centre in Laxmi Nagar, I see patients every week whose eye problems have been complicated by well-meaning but medically inaccurate home remedies.
Lifeline Eye Centre has been a trusted name in East Delhi eye care since 1991, when it was founded by Dr. S.A. Farooqui. Today, as his son and a dual fellowship-trained ophthalmologist, I carry forward that legacy with state-of-the-art investigative and surgical solutions for every ophthalmic problem under one roof. This article busts five of the most common eye myths we hear in clinic, using medical evidence rather than word-of-mouth.
This is perhaps the most widely believed eye myth in Indian households. Many people use rose water daily, believing it removes dust, reduces redness, and "purifies" the eyes. In reality, rose water has no proven antibacterial or therapeutic effect on the eye surface. Most commercially available rose water is not sterile and may contain preservatives or fragrance additives that can irritate the delicate ocular surface or trigger allergic conjunctivitis.
Your eyes already have a natural cleaning mechanism — tears — that continuously wash away debris. If you notice redness, grittiness, or discharge, it is usually a sign of dry eye, allergic conjunctivitis, or infective red eye that needs proper evaluation, not rose water. Using unsterile home remedies on an already inflamed eye can worsen infection and delay diagnosis.
Tip: If your eyes feel dry or irritated, preservative-free lubricating eye drops recommended by your ophthalmologist are a safer daily habit than rose water.
Applying kajal (kohl) to a newborn's eyes is a deeply rooted tradition in North India, believed to "strengthen" the eyes and ward off evil. Medically, this practice carries real risks. Many traditional kajals, especially homemade or unbranded varieties, contain lead and other heavy metals that can cause chemical conjunctivitis, corneal abrasion, or even systemic lead toxicity in infants, whose skin and mucous membranes absorb substances far more readily than adults.
There is no scientific evidence that kajal improves vision or strengthens eye muscles. As a pediatric eye specialist in Delhi at our centre, I generally advise parents to avoid kajal in infants entirely, and if used at all in older toddlers, to choose a certified cosmetic-grade product and never apply it along the inner eyelid (waterline), since this is where it is most likely to irritate the eye or block the tear drainage glands.
With remote schooling and work-from-home culture, concerns about blue light from screens have grown sharply. Current clinical evidence does not support the claim that blue light from digital screens causes permanent retinal damage in humans — the amount emitted by phones, laptops, and LED screens is far lower than the blue light we are exposed to from natural sunlight. What screens reliably cause is digital eye strain, with symptoms like dryness, burning, headaches, and blurred vision, caused mainly by reduced blinking and prolonged near-focus, not light wavelength.
Overuse of screens at night can still disrupt sleep by suppressing melatonin, indirectly affecting eye comfort. If you or your child have frequent headaches, blurred vision after screen use, or worsening refractive errors, it's worth a comprehensive eye check rather than assuming blue light is the sole culprit.
Parents often ask us how much screen time is actually safe for children. General pediatric guidance suggests limiting recreational screen time to under 1 hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 years, and for school-age children, prioritizing regular breaks over a hard limit since academic screen use is now unavoidable. The widely recommended 20-20-20 rule is useful: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
More important than total hours is posture and distance: screens should be held at least 30-40 cm away, positioned slightly below eye level, in a well-lit room to reduce glare. Outdoor time also matters — natural daylight exposure has been shown to help slow myopia progression in growing eyes. If your child squints, sits too close to the television, or complains of headaches after school, it's a good reason to book a comprehensive eye checkup rather than wait.
Reading in low light can cause temporary eye strain — more blinking effort, slower focusing, and mild fatigue — but there is no clinical evidence it causes permanent, lasting damage or worsens refractive error over time. The discomfort resolves once you rest your eyes or improve lighting.
That said, consistently poor lighting combined with prolonged near work is a known contributing factor to progressive myopia in children, which is why good ambient lighting is still worth maintaining, even though it won't "damage" the eye outright.
| Myth | What the Evidence Shows |
|---|---|
| Gulab jal purifies the eyes | Tears are the eye's natural cleanser; unsterile rose water can irritate or infect the eye surface |
| Kajal strengthens a newborn's eyes | Traditional kajal may contain lead; no proven vision benefit, real infection risk |
| Blue light causes permanent eye damage | Causes digital eye strain, not proven retinal damage; sunlight has far more blue light |
| Any screen time is fine with breaks | Recommended limits, the 20-20-20 rule, and outdoor time genuinely protect children's eyes |
| Dim light reading harms eyes permanently | Causes only temporary strain, no lasting damage |
Most of the myths above are low-risk misunderstandings, but certain eye symptoms should never be self-treated with home remedies, including rose water.
Warning: Seek immediate ophthalmic care for sudden vision loss, severe eye pain, a red eye with thick discharge, chemical exposure, or any eye injury — these can signal infections or emergencies that need urgent evaluation, not home remedies.
If your child frequently rubs their eyes, squints, tilts their head to see, or has failed a school vision screening, consult our ophthalmology specialists for a complete eye examination.
I am a dual fellowship-trained ophthalmologist with a sub-specialty interest in cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery. After completing my ophthalmology residency in Delhi, I worked with Orbis International's Flying Eye Hospital — the only hospital aboard an aircraft in the world — travelling to more than 20 countries to provide ophthalmic care and train local doctors. I then completed a two-year fellowship in complex cataract surgery, followed by an 18-month fellowship in corneal surgery, including a Fellowship in Cornea and Anterior Segment at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia (2021-22), and a Fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital (2017-18), plus training in medical retina and laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy at Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore.
Lifeline Eye Centre, based in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi, carries forward a legacy that began in 1991 with my father, Dr. S.A. Farooqui, one of East Delhi's earliest premium eye care providers. Today we offer state-of-the-art investigative and surgical care for cataract surgery, cornea transplant, LASIK surgery, oculoplasty, and retina services, all under one roof.
Is rose water safe for eyes?
Rose water is not recommended as a daily eye care product. It is not sterile, may contain preservatives or fragrance, and offers no proven cleansing or therapeutic benefit. If your eyes feel irritated, consult an eye specialist instead.
At what age can kids use kajal?
We advise avoiding kajal in infants and very young children altogether due to the risk of lead exposure and eye irritation. If used at all in older toddlers, choose a certified cosmetic-grade product and never apply it along the inner eyelid.
Does blue light cause permanent eye damage?
No strong clinical evidence shows that screen blue light causes permanent eye or retinal damage. It contributes to digital eye strain such as dryness, headaches, and blurred vision, which can be managed with breaks and good screen habits.
How much screen time is safe for kids?
For children aged 2 to 5, under 1 hour of recreational screen time daily is generally advised. For older children, following the 20-20-20 rule and ensuring regular outdoor time matters more than a strict cutoff.
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