Eye strain: symptoms, treatment & right glasses
There are people complaining about eye strain, and most eye doctors would advise them to take breaks in between, especially if their job is looking closely at specific things for longer periods. Generally, eye strain is common either in the workplace or at home. Identifying how you'll acquire this eye problem, its triggers, and the tips to remedy or prevent them is essential.
What is eye strain?
Eye strain is a common condition that relatively occurs when you make your eyes work too much like using digital devices, reading, and long-distance driving. Some doctors refer to eye strain as asthenopia or eye fatigue. Regardless of the term, the bottom line is an eye strain can bring discomfort. However, it's not a severe eye condition.
What causes eye strain?
As mentioned earlier, your eye strain can be caused by different lifestyles and other daily habits. This includes the following:
1. Too much exposure to digital screens
2. Continuous reading for longer hours without breaks in between
3. Driving long distances and performing activities involving focusing for longer periods
4. Blight light or glare exposure
5. Reading or concentrating on things in very dim light
6. Being stressed
7. Exposure to dry moving air from a heating system, a fan, or an air conditioning system
8. Having underlying eye problems like uncorrected vision and dry eyes
Symptoms of eye strain
The sooner you determine you have an eye strain, the earlier you can remedy it. The following points are some indications of eye strain:
1. Watery eyes
2. Dry eyes
4. Light sensitivity
5. Itching eyes
6. Difficulty in keeping your eyes open
7. Burning eyes
8. Back pain, neck, and shoulder pains
9. Problem with focusing
10. Mild headache
Treatments of eye strain
Changing your habits is one of the ways to treat eye strain. You might include some of the tips below to prevent eye strain from bringing discomfort to your daily hustle.
1. Take breaks.
This is generally one of the leading pieces of advice anyone will give to whoever is experiencing eye strain. If you're reading or looking at your computer screen, ensure you take occasional breaks to rest your eyes. You can look away every twenty minutes from the page or screen.
2. Adjust the room lighting.
When watching television, you can have the room softly lit. For those reading books and doing close work, position your light source behind you and direct the light to your page. A shaded light in front of you is beneficial when reading on a desk.
3. Limit your screen time.
Too much exposure to blue light from digital screens causes eye strain. It would be best to manage your screen time wisely to prevent this condition from happening. This also applies to kids who are prone to extended screen exposure.
4. Improve your space's air quality.
It's also recommended to change your work environment once in a while by using a humidifier or adjusting your thermostat to reduce the blowing air.
5. Choose the right eyeglasses.
You can invest in contacts or eyeglasses specifically designed for computer work. There are thousands of them in the market today. Remember to evaluate its features before you buy one.
What are the right glasses for preventing eye strain?
There are two types of glasses that you can use to prevent eye strain. The first one is the blue light blocking glasses, which filter out all the blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computer screens. A pair of these eyeglasses is an excellent option especially if you must use gadgets during the night.
Another one is the anti-reflective lenses. As the name suggests, these lenses on your eyeglasses have a specific coating that cuts down the glare that could be reflected in the eyes from any light sources like sunlight, digital screens, and headlights. Less glare would mean the eyes need not work the hardest to see things clearly.
Improving your daily habits and choosing the right glasses are excellent combinations to keep your eyes healthy and prevent common eye problems. However, if your eye strain symptoms persist, it's best to visit your optometrist for the best eye prescription and recommendation.
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