People often experience eye strain. The term is often used by people to describe symptoms such as mild pain or discomfort in the eye. Usually, eye strain occurs when your eyes get tired due to overuse, such as driving for a long period of time or staring at the computer or mobile screen for too long. This can cause discomfort. Eye strain is also known as asthenopia or ocular fatigue. Eye strain can sometimes also trigger headaches, the severity of which depends on the cause. They are known as eyestrain headaches.
Eye strain headaches are basically the pain behind one’s eyes. Below we share a few signs of eye strain headache:
What are the signs of eye strain headache?
- Dry eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision
- Sour eyes
- Watery eyes
- Neck, shoulder or back pain
What causes eye strain?
- Continuous use of the digital screen: Staring at a digital screen for a long period of time is the most common cause of eye strain.
When you focus on the screen, you blink less often, which can lead to dry eyes and cause irritation
- Prolonged focus on a single task: Your eyes get tired when you continually focus on a single activity for a long time, for instance, driving, reading a book or even drawing.
- Vision problems: You may experience eye strain if you have vision problems. When you have problems such as nearsightedness or farsightedness, your eyes work harder to see things, making the eyes tired and leading to an eyestrain headache.
- Bright or dim lights: If the light is too bright or too dim, it is difficult to see clearly. Trying to focus in such situations is tough, making your eyes tired and strained.
How to prevent eye strain?
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Try to take frequent breaks when using digital screens. According to this rule, look at something at least 20 feet away for around 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
- Avoid using digital screens in the dark: Your eyes need to do extra work when you stare at a digital screen in the dark, making your eyes tired sooner than they should. Therefore, avoid using a digital screen in the dark.
- Blink often: Blink more than you do now. Blinking moisten your eyes, keeping the risk of dry eyes away.
- Keep your screen at a distance: Always your screen at least 25 inches away from your eyes and position it slightly below eye level.
- Do not wear eye contact lenses for a longer period of time: Wearing contact lenses for a long time can cause eye irritation and strain your eyes.
- Adjust the brightness of your digital screen: Make sure that your screen is bright enough to not have shadows, and also not too bright that it’s hard to discern contrast.
- Keep your surroundings clean: Keep your surroundings free from dust, which can disturb your tear ducts and lead to dry eyes.
- Get enough sleep: Try to get around 6-8 hours of sleep. Stay hydrated and drink up liquids to avoid dry eye discomfort.
- Wear anti-reflective lenses: The best way to save your sensitive eyes from eye strain from digital screens is to wear anti-reflective glasses.
- Get regular eye checkups: Weak vision can cause headaches, eye strain and blurred vision. So, even if you don’t have any eye problems, you should visit an eye specialist and have your eyes examined at least once a year.
Looking for an experienced eye specialist?
Getting your eyes checked by an eye specialist regularly can help stop vision problems from getting worse. As one of the reputed eye hospitals in West Bengal, we have some of the best eye specialists on board. Our eye specialists are highly experienced and well-versed with the latest medical procedures. You can consult our eye specialist either in person or opt for online consultation.