Monthly Archives: April 2019

Is eye strain a disease? No. What we think of as eye strain is a set of unpleasant symptoms that can often be avoided. But we should take note when we experience eye strain, because the condition may give us clues about our vision and overall eye health.

So, what causes eye strain? The condition is brought on by periods of intense focus and use of vision. It can be caused by long periods of reading small print, lots of time looking at computer screens, long drives, and very dark or bright conditions.

How do you know if you’re experiencing eye strain? Take note of these symptoms:

• Headache
• Blurry vision
• Feelings of eye dryness and scratchiness
• Doubling vision
• Other general discomfort

For the most part, eye strain is a normal part of life. Think of your eyes in the same way you would your muscles. Overuse leads to fatigue, right? But we mentioned that there are times you should take note, because your eye strain might be providing clues about your health.

Eye strain can be brought on more quickly due to refractive errors in your vision, when your eyes aren’t working together to focus properly, or if you have other developing eye and vision problems. In those cases, think of your eye as a weak muscle that tires more quickly. That’s when eye strain is telling you to see a doctor. Getting glasses can reduce eye strain, by improving your vision so that your eye doesn’t have to work so hard.

If you’re experiencing eye strain regularly, take a break! Then give us a call. A full vision checkup will tell you if you need to make corrections that will help you see better, and reduce strain.

Have questions about your vision, how to prevent eye damage, or need to talk through an issue? Please reach out to us at Utah Eye Centers! We can ‘shine a light’ on your options. We look forward to meeting with you!

It’s a fact. Fun in the sun can lead to damage to your vision, if you don’t take the proper care of your eyes and vision. Too much sun can cause eye damage, including macular degeneration, cataracts, photokeratitis, and more. So, what can you do?

First, it helps to know that the risk isn’t limited to bright spring and summer days; your vision is also at risk when harmful UV rays are reflected off water and snow during the fall and winter months. That means that you need to protect yourself year round. Whatever your preferred outdoor activity, you need to take a few simple steps to prevent lasting, preventable damage to your vision.

Here are three things everyone must do to prevent eye damage:

1. Seek shade. This really does make a difference! Just as you would avoid a sunburn to your skin, you can avoid damaging your eyes. Wearing a hat, shielding your eyes with your hands, and avoiding direct sun during the brightest times of day will help protect you from harm. (It’s not the best, but it’s better than no protection.)
2. Wear sunglasses and/or contacts. You want to find sunglasses that block the full spectrum of UV rays, including UVA, UVB, and UVC. (UVB rays are those that are thought to cause the most damage, but you want to completely limit your risk.) If you need prescription lenses, you can get your sunglasses or contacts made to limit UV spectrum rays.
3. Develop good habits early. Know that sun damage is cumulative. Repeatedly spending time outside without proper eye protection is just what leads to the cloudy vision due to cataracts and other damage that adds up.

Have questions about your vision, how to prevent eye damage, or need to talk through an issue? Please reach out to us at Utah Eye Centers! We can ‘shine a light’ on your options. We look forward to meeting with you!