Why do you suffer from eye fatigue?
When you spend a lot of time working on your PC or tablet, reading a book or driving, you may have experienced the so-called eye fatigue.
Signs indicating that you suffer from eye fatigue:
- Tired eyes
- Tearful eyes
- Dry eyes
- Blurred vision
- Frequent headaches
- Fatigue of facial muscles due to the wrong prescription of eyeglasses for long periods of time
Each of us can experience eye fatigue in different ways. In all cases, however, it is certain that no permanent damage is made to the eyes, since making some changes to our daily routine can help increase the comfort of our vision.
What are the causes for eye fatigue?
In many cases, signs of eye fatigue are evident when we look at something for a long time without blinking. This might cause a feeling of eye dryness.
The eye fatigue we experience when working on the computer is not different from that when we drive or read for hours.
Furthermore, when sitting near a fan creating a flow of cold or warm air, one’s eyes will become dry a lot faster.
A wrong prescription of eyeglasses or contact lenses can cause blurry vision, which subsequently increases the sense of eye fatigue.
Working in an either intensely or inadequately bright environment might also cause visual discomfort.
Poor posture while working for a long time, which causes pain to the neck, shoulders and back, aggravates eye fatigue.
How to reduce eye fatigue resulting from prolonged use of a computer
- 20-20-20 rule: every 20’ focus your eyes on an object that is 20 feet (6 meters) away from you for at least 20’’.
- Use artificial tears.
- Adjust your computer screen so that your eyes are looking slightly downwards (be careful when using multifocal lenses).
- Adjust the air conditioning, directing its flow away from your face.
- Place a humidifier near your desk.
Driving tips for visual comfort
- Adjust the car’s air conditioning, directing its flow away from your face.
- Use artificial tears when your eyes are dry.
- Wear your eyeglasses or contact lenses, if your doctor has advised you to do so.
- Wear your sunglasses when necessary.
When to visit a specialist
If eye fatigue persists after correcting the position of your screen, consult your ophthalmologist or optometrist, who will ask about your symptoms and their duration. He/she will then check for dry eyes and examine your eye muscles, in order to determine whether you need a new prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses or your existing one is appropriate.