What is Eye strain ?
Eyestrain can be experienced as burning, tightness, sharp pains, dull pains, watering, blurring, double vision, headaches, and other sensations, depending on the person. If you have any eye discomfort caused by viewing something, you can call it eyestrain.
In terms of eyestrain, our ancestors had it easy. Today, we spend hours every day staring into computer monitors or TV screens, squinting through dirty windshields, or simply opening our eyes every morning in a world that’s full of smoke and smog. As a result, our eyes often are tired and dry. To give your eyes a break while keeping them moist and lubricated.
Causes of Eyestrain
Eyestrain causes a dull, aching, sensation around and behind the eyes that can expand into a general headache. It may feel painful or fatiguing to focus the eyes. Eyestrain is commonly caused by reading books or watching TV screens and computer screens continuously without getting break. The most overlooked cause of eyestrain in offices is contrast – usually, a dark screen surrounded by a bright background such as a window or a lit wall. Eyes are also strained more by close viewing than by distant viewing.
Symptoms of Eyestrain
Some of the common symptoms of Eyestrain and dry eyes are :-
- Eyes becomes red.
- Headache.
- Blurred vision.
- Difficult to view some thing, it’s temporally.
- Feeling Fatigue.
- Itching, or burning eyes.
Home remedies to get relief from Eye strain
- Bat your eyelids. Your eyelids are like windshield wipers. Every time you blink they spread a soothing layer of lubrication across the surfaces of the eyes. When your eyes are getting tired, blinking them several times will give quick relief. As a bonus, blinking helps remove dust or grift from the eyes before it causes irritation.
- Cover your eyes. To soothe the eyes, do what some professional massage therapists do: Rub your hands together to warm them up, then place the heels of your palms over your eyes for a few seconds. The warmth from your hands will quickly penetrate into the eyes, making them feel rested and relaxed.
- Give nature a hand. When your eyes are unusually dry, put in a few drops of artificial tears. Sold in pharmacies, these “re-wetting drops” will help remove debris while providing soothing relief. You can use artificial tears whenever your eyes are feeling dry and tired.
- Keep them cool. Many people have found that putting slices of cool cucumber over the eyes can be very soothing. Or you can simply cover your eyes with a cool compress. Wet a towel in cool water, wring it out, and place it over your eyes for about five minutes.
- Give your eyes a break. Most eyestrain is caused by overuse – from staring at the computer screen, for example, or driving long distances. Doctors recommend taking a “vision break” once an hour or so. You don’t have to stop what you’re doing – just focus on something else for a few minutes, preferably something in the distance. Then close your eyes and relax for a moment. Simply resting your eyes now and then will make a big difference in stopping strain and soreness.
When to see the doctor ?
If your eyes are dry and sore, and you have other symptoms like’ a dry mouth, you should call your doctor right away. There are a number of illnesses, including arthritis and lupus, that can cause the eyes to get tired and irritated. Don’t assume that dry eyes are “merely” on eye problem. There may be something else going on as well. Wearing the right prescription contact lenses or funky frames are an option these days.
Some prevention tips for getting relief from eyestrain
- Get sufficient sleep; fatigue promotes eyestrain.
- Do not work TV continuously.
- Computer glasses that focus at the right distance for the computer screen.
- If you work with computers for long periods of time, take a five- or ten-minute break every hour; focus on distant objects as often as possible.