Eye strain is a condition that affects the eyes with the feeling of tiredness and pain after intense or prolonged use of the eyes.
Usually, the fix to eye strain is to rest the eyes or take a few steps to ease the discomfort. However, persistent eye strain in some cases might indicate a more serious underlying eye condition that requires treatment.
When you experience strained eyes, the first step to dealing with it is to identify the cause of the strain. In some cases, your eye health plays a role, which an optician can help you determine. In addition, consulting an eye doctor can give you more specific advice personalized for your health history, symptoms, lifestyle and needs.
Eye strain can last for a few minutes or hours, depending on the cause. If the eye strain symptoms come up when staring at your digital devices, take screen breaks, get some rest, or wear your prescription lenses. If a sleep deficit causes your eye strain symptoms, the question of “how long can eye strain ask?” may point to a few days as its answer. For more major causes of eye strain, like an eye problem or underlying health condition, you may have to get new medication or an updated prescription, which might take longer, up to a few weeks, to relieve you.
So, you must diagnose and figure out how to relieve eye strain. Once you understand your symptoms and work with the right optician, you are well on your way to learning how to stop eye strain.
For over six decades, Belson and Sons Independent Opticians has been at the forefront of helping people improve their eye health. Belson and Sons Independent Opticians help with the treatment of eye strain symptoms and other things that might lead to strained eyes or eye strain headaches.
What is Eye Strain?
Eye strain, also known as asthenopia, refers to various uncomfortable feelings and symptoms that a person feels when looking at something over a (prolonged) period. A person might feel strain in their eyes during activities like driving long distances, staring at digital screens or being exposed to bright light or environments. While eye strain can be uncomfortable, it does not lead to permanent eye damage, and you can reduce the symptoms with some simple medical procedures.
What does Eye Strain Feel Like?
Eye strain is a type of discomfort that comes up when the eyes have been in use for a long time. It comes with a feeling like a sharp ache in the eyes and is associated with headaches and eye aches. Usually, eye strain lasts for a short time and goes away after the eyes have been rested adequately. However, sometimes it lasts longer and might require extra medical attention.
Eye Strain Symptoms
There are different symptoms of eye strain. Some of them are highlighted below;
- Eye discomfort: This is the all-encompassing eye train symptom. Once you start feeling discomfort in your eyes after a long period of eye activity, you may be experiencing eye strain.
- Headaches: Eye strain is closely related to headaches. If you’re feeling a headache after using your eyes for some time, the problem might be eye strain.
- Blurred or double vision: If your vision gets blurry or you begin to see double images, your eyes may be strained, and you might have to rest them a bit.
- Red, watery eyes: Staring at a screen for too long can make your eyes red and watery. You might not feel any discomfort at first, but these are symptoms of eye strain.
- Light sensitivity: Too much exposure to lighting and bright screens causes eye strain, but when your eyes become sensitive to any type of light, that might be an eye strain symptom.
- Sore, tired, burning or itchy eyes: These are eye strain symptoms, and when you notice them, you should rest your eyes for some hours. If the eye strain symptoms persist, you should get in touch with your eye doctor.
What are the Causes of Eye Strain?
Some of the causes of eye strain are highlighted below;
Computers and digital devices
These devices have screens that emit light rays. When you look at these screens for too long, your eyes become tired, and you might start feeling some eye strain symptoms.
Persistent reading
Reading for too long also causes eye strain. Take a break intermittently when you have long readings to do.
Prolonged visual activity, e.g., driving.
Driving requires intense focus and may cause eye strain because your eyes have to stay on the road and be alert to everything in your environment.
Bright lights
Long or sudden exposure to bright lights can lead to eye strain.
Dim lights
When the eyes get exposed to dim lights suddenly or for too long, eye strain symptoms may occur, which indicates that you need to give your eyes some rest.
Stress, fatigue & lack of sleep
These are causes of eye strain that many people ignore. When you are sleep deprived, tired or stressed, your body feels the impact. Thus, putting your eyes under intense stress may lead to eye strain.
Overly dry eyes
Dry eyes occur when you have decreased tear production in your eyes. This can lead to eye strain if not appropriately managed.
Can Vision Problems Cause Eye Strain?
Yes, they can. While most eye strain symptoms are triggered by a single prolonged use of the eyes, sometimes, your eye strain may be an effect of a long-term vision problem. For example, refractive errors can lead to eye strain. These problems include astigmatism, myopia (short sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) and presbyopia.
Does Eye Strain Last for a Long Time?
Determining eye strain lasting days depends on the eye strain causes and severity. Minor eye strain takes a few minutes or hours to go away. Sometimes, it may take days, and sometimes, you have to see a doctor for a prescription medicine. Often, taking a screen break or wearing the correct prescription lenses may give you relief within a few minutes or hours.
How to Prevent or Reduce Eye Strain?
There are many ways to prevent or reduce eye strain. Some of them are highlighted below;
- Resting eyes regularly
- Taking breaks from devices
- Wearing blue-light protective glasses
- Adjust display settings on monitors, TVs and devices
- Use appropriate lighting
- Eye exercises
How to Get Rid of Eye Strain?
Eye strain treatment depends mainly on the cause. While it is best to prevent eye strain through every means necessary, you may already be experiencing eye strain, leaving you with just treatment options. Some of the eye strain treatment methods include the following;
- Natural products such as Omega-3 capsules
- Resting eyes
- Eye drops
- Medication for eye problems
- Get a glasses prescription
A Guide to Eye Strain by Belson & Sons Opticians
Eye strain is undoubtedly an uncomfortable thing to experience, and getting a quick solution is often the way to go. Belson & Sons Opticians is an eye care practice that helps people with optical issues like eye strain. Decades of professional experience, remarkable results and a long list of satisfied clients are some of the practice’s value offerings.
If you ever feel any eye strain symptoms, do not hesitate to call us today at Belson & Sons Opticians to schedule an eye test.
