Do your eyes water — or feel especially dry — after long hours in front of your computer? Or maybe your eyes feel sore or tired after a long drive. If so, you’re probably experiencing eye strain. But take heart: regular breaks and easy adjustments can help keep your eyes comfortable while you go about your day.
What is eye strain and what causes it?
“Eye strain” describes eye discomfort, sometimes combined with short-term vision difficulties. Many activities contribute to the problem. For example, focusing on close work (such as reading small print or doing detailed needlework) for an extended period can make it difficult to relax your focus when you look up and focus on something across the room. Discomfort can also come from situations that force your eyes to work harder, such as trying to see in dim lighting.
When eye strain results from long sessions in front of electronic screens, including TVs and smartphones, it’s often due to our natural tendency not to blink enough when viewing a screen.
Other factors that can strain the eyes include
- dim lighting
- glare or very bright lighting
- air blowing directly in the eyes, causing dryness
- dust or smudges on a digital screen
- bad weather when driving
- wearing glasses or contact lenses with an incorrect prescription.
Eye strain effects
Eye strain can cause a number of symptoms. You might experience one or more of the following:
- eyes that are tired, sore, itching, or burning
- dry or watery eyes
- blurred vision or difficulty focusing
- difficulty keeping your eyes open
- muscle spasms in the eyes or eyelids
- headache behind the eyes
- eye pain from bright light.
Eye strain also can interfere with concentration, productivity, or reading accuracy (due to blurred vision). Back, neck, or shoulder pain may result from bad posture when trying to compensate for tired eyes.
Tips for reducing eye strain
It takes a concerted effort to avoid eye strain. Here are tips to help.
Take regular breaks. Follow the 20-20-20 rule for close-up tasks: every 20 minutes, look for 20 seconds at something about 20 feet away. For continuous driving, take a break after two hours or 100 miles, or as needed.
Keep eye surfaces moist. Try to blink every once in a while; that helps moisten the eye surface. Use artificial teardrops when driving or viewing digital screens for extended periods. It might also help to wear eyeglasses rather than contact lenses for computer use, or use comfort drops. When driving, aim air vents away from your eyes (air sucks away moisture). Consider using a humidifier in your home.
Get a clear view. Keep digital screen surfaces and eyeglasses clean.
Reduce glare. Wear polarized sunglasses, particularly when driving.
Creating an eye-friendly workspaceThe American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends the following tips for setting up your workspace to avoid dry eyes and eye strain:
The AAO does not recommend blue light glasses, as there is no strong evidence that blue light from digital devices causes eye strain. |
Should you worry?
If you suddenly experience blurry vision, lose vision in one or both eyes, or experience a shower of brief flashes of light or black dots in your vision, it could signal something serious (such as a stroke or a detached retina) that needs immediate medical attention. Call your eye doctor or 911. Otherwise, eye strain, while uncomfortable, is usually nothing to worry about; consider it a sign to take better care of your eyes. If eye strain persists more than one or two weeks, or if eye strain is especially painful, contact your eye doctor to rule out underlying conditions.
Image: © Insta_photos/Getty Images
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