10 Eye-Opening Secrets for Tackling Eye Strain More Effectively

Eye strain is a common issue that many of us face, especially as we spend more time in front of screens and under artificial lighting. If you’re struggling with eye strain, you’re not alone. It’s so common that around two-thirds of all people experience it now and again.

What is eye strain?

Eye strain refers to the discomfort or fatigue experienced after prolonged use of the eyes, often associated with activities like reading, using digital devices, or driving.

Why address eye strain?

Our eyes, the windows to our world, play a fundamental role in maintaining not just good vision but also overall well-being.

Vision Maintenance: Our eyes are instrumental in how we perceive and interact with the world around us. Addressing eye strain is important for preserving clear vision, enabling us to carry out daily activities, enjoy hobbies, and engage with loved ones without hindrance.

Health Impact: Beyond vision, the health of our eyes directly correlates to our overall well-being. Untreated eye strain can lead to discomfort, headaches, and fatigue, impacting our productivity and enjoyment of daily tasks. And what’s more, chronic eye strain may exacerbate underlying eye conditions, highlighting the importance of early intervention and preventive measures to maintain ocular health.

Preventative Care: Aging eyes are more susceptible to strain due to changes in lens flexibility and reduced tear production. Prioritizing eye health through addressing strain involves adopting preventative care measures such as regular eye exams, ergonomic workspace setups, and lifestyle adjustments.

Symptoms of Eye Strain

When it comes to eye strain, being able to identify the symptoms is the first step to addressing this common issue effectively. Symptoms associated with eye strain encompass a spectrum of discomfort that can manifest physically and visually:

• Headaches: Recurrent headaches, especially centered around the forehead or temples, are a common indicator of eye strain. The muscles around the eyes may tense up, leading to tension headaches.
• Dry Eyes: Feeling a sensation of dryness, grittiness, or itchiness in the eyes. Prolonged screen time and reduced blinking can contribute to inadequate tear production, resulting in dry eyes.
• Blurred Vision: Vision may become blurry or unfocused, particularly after extended periods of close-up work or screen use. Blurriness can affect near or distance vision, making tasks like reading or driving challenging.
• Shoulder or Neck Pain: Strained eye muscles can trigger tension in the surrounding areas, such as the shoulders and neck. Prolonged periods of poor posture while focusing intensely can exacerbate muscle strain and discomfort.
• Difficulty Focusing: Maintaining focus on objects, screens, or text may become arduous, with the eyes feeling fatigued or unable to sustain clarity.

Impact on Daily Activities

The effects of eye strain extend beyond mere discomfort, influencing the way we engage in our daily tasks and routines:

• Reading: Eye strain can make reading for extended periods uncomfortable, with words appearing blurry or causing eye fatigue.
• Driving: Visual disturbances like blurred vision or difficulty focusing can impede safe driving practices. Strained eyes may struggle to discern road signs, traffic signals, or details on the road, compromising driving abilities.
• Using Electronic Devices: Excessive screen time can exacerbate eye strain, leading to discomfort, dryness, and visual fatigue when using smartphones, tablets, or computers.

Recognizing Signs

• Eye Discomfort: Sensations of itching, burning, or a feeling of grit in the eyes should not be ignored, as they signal potential eye strain.
• Squinting: Straining to see clearly by squinting indicates visual stress and potential refractive errors. Squinting can exacerbate eye strain and lead to further discomfort if left unaddressed.
• Frequent Rubbing of the Eyes: Excessive rubbing of the eyes, especially in response to irritation or fatigue, can worsen eye strain symptoms. Instead of rubbing, practice gentle eye exercises or take breaks to alleviate strain.

10 Helpful Tips on Dealing with Eye Strain

Here are some strategies that you can use to alleviate eye strain and enhance your visual comfort:

Eye Exercises and Relaxation Techniques

Engaging in simple eye exercises and relaxation methods can be a proactive approach to reducing eye strain and enhancing focus:

• Eye Exercises: Performing exercises like eye rolls, focusing on distant objects, or practicing palming (covering the eyes with palms) can help relax eye muscles and alleviate strain. These exercises encourage natural eye movement and reduce the rigidity caused by prolonged screen use.
• Relaxation Techniques: Incorporating relaxation practices such as deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness can mitigate overall stress, including eye strain-related tension. Relaxation techniques promote eye rest and foster a calmer state of mind conducive to visual comfort.

Medical Interventions for Severe Cases

For those experiencing persistent or severe eye strain symptoms, seeking professional guidance and specialized interventions can offer targeted relief:

• Consulting an Eye Care Professional: In cases where eye strain persists despite self-care measures, consulting an eye care specialist is advisable. Eye professionals can conduct comprehensive assessments, identify underlying issues contributing to eye strain, and recommend treatment plans.
• Specialized Treatments: Eye care professionals may suggest treatments such as prescription glasses optimized for screen use, vision therapy exercises, or custom interventions tailored to individual needs. These specialized approaches aim to address specific visual challenges and alleviate severe eye strain symptoms effectively.

By exploring these treatment options and tailoring interventions to personal needs and preferences, you can actively manage eye strain, promote visual wellness, and cultivate habits that support long-term eye health and comfort. Here are 10 more tips that may just help you find relief, too!

1. Give audiobooks a try.

If you’re a bookworm, eye strain is more than an inconvenience. It can be a major hindrance to your favorite pastime. Fortunately, you don’t have to shelve your books! The next time your eyes are too tired to read, try out an audiobook. Many online retailers offer them, including Audible and Scribd. You may even be able to find audiobooks at your local library!

2. Step away from your computer screen.

Chances are, if you work in an office, your eyes are glued to a computer screen eight hours a day, five days a week. Even if you’re not an office drone, your job still might require you to stare at a screen for hours on end. You could always invest in blue light glasses. These nifty little accessories are designed to filter out blue light, meaning they can protect your peepers from eye strain. Of course, another solution that I recommend is taking frequent breaks. Step away from your computer screen, walk around for a bit, and stretch those muscles. It’s important for both your eyes and your body!

3. Adjust lighting.

Retina-burning. The perfect descriptor for some TVs. As technology has improved, so has lighting. And while a crisp HD picture with bright lights might make for a more magical viewing experience, it can also hurt your eyes. My recommendation? Adjust the lighting on your TV. You can even adjust the lighting on your phone, tablet, or other devices. Don’t subject your poor eyes to bright lighting unless it’s absolutely necessary. They go through enough, as it is!

4. Get proper sleep.

We’re all guilty of staying up past our bedtime. Maybe you just couldn’t sleep until you binge-watched the entire first season of that new show everyone’s talking about. Or maybe you just couldn’t resist getting a cup of coffee on the way home from work. Whatever the case, inadequate sleep wreaks havoc on your eyes. Studies show that sleep deprivation may cause eye strain, twitchy eyelids, and other unpleasant symptoms. The good news is, the solution is simple. Get enough sleep! Trust me—you (and your eyes) will feel so much better.

5. Swap your contacts for glasses.

For some, wearing contact lenses is like second nature. However, contact lenses may actually contribute to eye strain. Not only can they cause dry eye, but they may actually exacerbate digital eye strain! You don’t have to put away your contact lenses forever. But on days when your eyes just aren’t feeling contacts, don’t force it. Alternate between wearing contacts and glasses to give your eyes a rest. You may feel more confident in contacts, but there’s nothing more beautiful than feeling your best.

6. Get regular eye exams.

Preventative care is important, especially when it comes to our eyes! Regular eye exams can help you keep up with your optic health and adjust your prescription as necessary. When you wear the wrong prescription, it puts you at an increased risk for eye strain. Additionally, your eye doctor can give you helpful tips on how to avoid eye strain and keep your peepers nice and healthy!

7. Get blue-light blocking glasses.

In our world, it’s hard to avoid screens for too long. Whether you work on a computer all day or can’t pry yourself away from your Kindle, most of us are staring at a screen for the better half of the day. Unfortunately, computers and other devices emit potentially harmful blue light, which can increase the risk of eye strain. The solution? Blue light-blocking glasses! These nifty little devices block blue light, allowing you to stare at screens for longer periods while keeping headaches and eye strain at bay. While you can always purchase these glasses on Amazon, you can also ask your eye doctor about prescription blue light-blocking glasses.

8. Blink more.

It may sound like obvious advice, but when we hyper-focus on something like work or reading, we have the tendency to not blink as often. But blinking is actually healthy. Not only does blinking lubricate our eyeballs, but it may actually prevent digital eye strain. Experts recommend blinking every 10 to 15 seconds while you’re staring at a screen. It’ll keep your vision nice and sharp and make you less susceptible to eyestrain. The very definition of a win-win!

9. Adjust your screen settings.

If you don’t like the default settings on your computer or other devices, you can readjust them to your liking! In fact, lowering your screen brightness and adjusting text size may prevent eyestrain. So, if your computer feels a little bit like a supernova, don’t subject your eyes to that bright light forever. Instead, turn down the brightness. Make the text bigger. Do whatever you can to make your computer time—and your eyes—more comfortable!

10. Keep your eyes moist.

Dry eyes are scratchy and uncomfortable, like a desert in your sockets. Worse still, dry eyes put you at an increased risk for infection. Of course, staring at screens for long periods of time can also contribute to dryness. Consider getting artificial tears and using them periodically. You can also purchase a desktop humidifier, like this one available on Amazon. Not only are these devices good for dry eyes—they can also help dry skin, too. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!