Do you spend much of your day looking at a computer screen or at other electronic devices? Do you spend a lot of time behind the wheel for your job? Do a lot of reading? Or are you a bit short on sleep? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are at a higher risk for eye strain.
What causes eye strain? The condition is brought on by periods of intense or extended focus and use of vision. It can be caused by long periods of reading small print, looking at computer screens, keeping a close eye on the road ahead of you or spending many hours in very dark or very bright conditions.
How do you know if you’re experiencing eye strain? Take note of these symptoms:
- Headache
- Blurry vision
- Itchy, dry or burning eyes
- Headaches
- Difficulty keeping your eyes open
- 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? Eye strain isn’t normally serious, but it could be a sign of an underlying vision condition, so if you’re suffering from eye strain for more than a couple of days, please schedule an appointment with us. Just call us at (801) 476-0494.
Eye strain can be brought on more quickly due to issues with your vision, such as when your eyes aren’t working together to focus properly, or if you have other developing eye or vision problems. A new or updated prescription for glasses or contacts may help by improving your vision so that your eyes don’t have to work so hard. In some cases, reading glasses can help. We also can provide some suggestions for helping support your eyes when you’re spending a lot of time looking at screens. (An important tip: Try giving your eyes a break from the computer screen by following the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.)
If you’re experiencing eye strain regularly, take a break! Then give us a call. We can “shine a light” on your options. We look forward to meeting with you.