When You Feel Tired, Headachy, And Unfocused But Can’t Pinpoint The Problem, It Could Be Eye Strain. Here’s How To Spot The Symptoms And How To Avoid Overworking Your Eyes.
Your eyes have muscles, and overworking them can trigger eye strain symptoms, which our eye strain symptoms guide below can help you recognize. This is similar to straining your quads or biceps during an intense workout. Eye strain has an official name, asthenopia. However, it usually isn’t serious unless it becomes chronic or signals an underlying problem.
Dr. Sophia Barnes sees many patients with eye strain symptoms at Vision Corner in Houston, Texas. She offers solutions for eye strain symptoms to help you pinpoint the cause of your symptoms and correct any vision problems they’ve triggered. Here’s an overview of eye strain, its causes, and how we treat it.
The Many Causes of Eye Strain
Overuse can strain your eyes and is one of the top culprits, but it’s not the only one. Here’s a look at the varied causes of eye strain.
Prolonged Focusing
Whether reading a good book or a lengthy report, focusing on close-up material for extended periods strains your eyes. Many of our patients suffer from computer vision syndrome, caused by prolonged focus on digital screens, such as computers, tablets, and phones. Too many hours looking at text strains the ciliary muscles in your eyes.
Bad Lighting
Low light makes you strain your eyes to see, but overly bright light can be a problem, too. Harsh lighting leads to eye fatigue. Go for a happy medium and choose bulbs that provide soft but ample lighting where you work and do hobbies.
Eye Muscle Problems
Your eye muscles keep your eyes centered and working in concert with one another. If one muscle is weaker than another, the imbalance can cause one eye to drift in a different direction. An inward drift is called esophoria, and an outward drift is called exophoria; both can cause eye strain.
Vision Problems
Any vision problem that goes uncorrected can cause eye strain. For example, if you have farsightedness or astigmatism and don’t wear corrective lenses, your eyes work hard to compensate for the problem and become strained.
Poor Posture
Ideally, your eyes should be an arm’s length away from your computer monitor, and your screen should be level with your eyes when you’re sitting up straight in your chair. If you’re slumping, your whole body works harder, including your eyes.
Spotting the Warning Signs
You don’t have to wonder if you’re straining your eyes; they’ll let you know. Here are several of the warning signs:
- Headaches: frequent headaches, particularly after reading, using a computer, or any task that requires intense focus
- Blurred vision: difficulty focusing or blurred or double vision
- Dry eyes: itchy, grainy, burning sensations
- Watery eyes: excessive tearing in response to dry, strained eyes
- Eye pain: sore, red, tired eyes
Neck or shoulder pain indicates poor posture while reading or using an electronic device. If your neck and shoulders ache, your eyes are likely overworking, too.
How to Take Precautions
The good news is that there are several steps you can take to prevent eye strain.
If the strain relates to your work habits and hobbies, the best thing you can do for your eyes is to take breaks. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to give your eyes a much-needed break and reduce fatigue.
Adjust your lighting and reestablish good posture.
Blue light glasses can reduce eye strain by blocking your digital screens’ harmful rays.
Get Relief From Our Eye Strain Symptoms
Noticing eye strain symptoms that won’t go away, even after resting your eyes? It may be time to see Dr. Barnes for our eye strain symptoms treatment, designed to correct the underlying vision problem.
Schedule regular eye exams at Vision Corner, where you get longer visits, more personalized care, and an unrushed experience compared with corporate vision care facilities. Dr. Barnes provides a comprehensive eye exam to identify issues early and tailor treatment to your specific needs.
Ready to stop pushing through the discomfort? Book your appointment online or call Vision Corner to schedule a thorough checkup.
