Eye strain is a common eye condition that usually occurs after excessive use of eyes. It can be a problem and affect your ability to execute other tasks in your daily life. In unfortunate cases, eye strain can also be a symptom of a bigger problem in your eyes.
How do you deal with this? How is eye strain caused? If your mind is flooded with these questions, then this article is for you. Today we have brought you the common causes, symptoms, and treatment of eye strain.
Causes of Eyestrain
One of the most common causes of eyestrain is the excessive use of digital devices. Staring into screens for hours and no breaks can cause eyestrain as well as other problems. So, how does this happen? The screens we are surrounded by today emit light rays. Blue light rays, in particular, are harmful to our eyes. These light rays also come from the sun itself, but in much intense volume. The average screen time of a person is 3+ hours in a day. This much sitting in front of a screen causes your eyes to get tired. Excessive digital exposure leads to eyestrain. Here are the other common causes of eyestrain.
- Not blinking often
- Looking at the same object for long periods (e.g., reading)
- Being in a highly bright/dark environment for too long
- Stress or tiredness
- Glare
- Not wearing prescription glasses.
These are some of the common causes of eyestrain. Luckily, they can all be treated through simple methods.
Symptoms of Eyestrain
Eyestrain symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Dry/wet eyes
- Blurred vision
- Itchy eyes
- Excessive blinking
Treatment of Eyestrain
Unless the eyestrain is the cause of a bigger eye problem, it can be treated by simple and easy self-care. Here are a few ways to treat eyestrain.
- Give Rest to Your Eyes. Eyestrain is often caused due to excessive use of eyes. If you can simply get a nap of at least half an hour, you will notice the eyestrain disappearing after you wake up.
- Take Breaks. Your eyes need breaks too. Whenever you’re reading, be sure to take 5 minutes of breaks every once in a while. Your eyes get tired of looking at the same object for too long.
- Eye drops. Using eyedrops to get rid of eyestrain is a good way to get rid of eyestrain as well.
- Limit Screen Usage. Screens do the most damage to our eyes. Ensure you limit your screen time in a day. If you work on digital devices every day, use anti-blue light glasses or take breaks in between.
- Get prescription Glasses. Your eyes might be causing you trouble because of changes in your eyesight. If this is the case, you will have to get new prescription glasses that suit your sight.
These are the most common ways of treating eyestrain. However, if the strain does not go away after a notable time period, then you should make a run to your optometrist. Your optometrist will conduct a thorough eye examination session to see what is truly the cause of the eyestrain. Depending on your condition, your optometrist will suggest a treatment. But don’t lose hope! Eyestrain does not require any serious critical treatment. Just remember to take care of your eyes and eat Vitamin A rich foods for maximum eye performance.