Eyestrain Care in Loveland, CO

Eye strain occurs when your eyes are fatigued from intense use. It’s a common condition and usually isn’t serious. Simple modifications, updated prescriptions, and other interventions may help relieve your eye fatigue.

Yes, eye strain is quite common. Many of us use computers as part of our daily lives, and just about everybody uses some kind of digital screen throughout the day. This tendency toward digital device use is often the culprit behind eye strain, but so too are eye problems and unaddressed nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

A number of factors can cause eyestrain including:

• A vision problem such as farsightedness or eyes that don’t properly align and make it difficult for the eyes to work together.
• Working on a task for a long time without taking any breaks (for example, a long drive, computer work or reading). This causes the muscles responsible for moving and focusing the eyes to tire of staying in one place.
• Eyestrain could be caused by an improper workstation set up. Computer screen glare or glare from a window, as well as low lighting, can become an issue for eyestrain.

You may have strained, tired eyes if you experience one or more of the following:

• Difficulty concentrating because your eyes are bothering you
• The sensation of dry, irritated eyes
• Sore or achy eyes
• The recurring temptation to rub your eyes
• Eye twitching
• Headaches
• Sensitivity to light
• Feeling like you need to squint in order to see

You may experience the symptoms of eye strain as a result of:

• Use of digital devices
• Computer-based professions
• Long distance driving
• Looking at something you are working on for extended periods of time
• Reading up-close for an extended period of time
• Dim lighting when you are reading or working
• Exposure to brightness and glare
• Vision disorders
• Strabismus
• Presbyopia
• Lack of sleep

There may be other contributing factors. If your eyes continue to bother you, contact our experienced eye doctors to learn more about eye strain.

The likely course of your eye strain depends on the cause. If your eyes are tired because of screen use, reading, bad lighting, poor posture while working, or other easy-to-manage behaviors, then the strain will likely go away once you have rested your eyes. Take steps to rest your eyes regularly to prevent future episodes of strain.

If your eye strain is caused by an underlying health condition or vision problem, then you will probably continue to experience the symptoms until those issues are addressed. If your attempts at alleviating eye strain on your own are fruitless and the symptoms begin to interfere with your daily tasks, then you should contact our eye doctors. A new prescription or other vision services may be the right way to address your symptoms.

Eyestrain is usually diagnosed during an eye exam. Our eye doctor will ask you to share any difficulties you’ve had with your vision including any eyestrain symptoms. Dr. Kirk will ask how long your eyes have been hurting, what you are doing when your eyes hurt and how often it happens.

They will then carefully test your distance and near vision. Tests of your eyes’ ability to focus and work together will also be done. Our eye doctors will check the health of your eyes to make sure that the symptoms are not caused by a more serious medical condition as well.

If your eyestrain is caused by a vision problem, our eye doctors will probably give you a new prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

• If you are over 40, you are probably developing presbyopia, the natural loss of ability to focus on close objects. When this happens, we will prescribe either reading glasses or a type of bifocal lens.
• If your eyes do not work together very well, glasses can help here too. You will need glasses that can help direct your eyes where they should be looking. Some eye doctors may also prescribe eye exercises called vision therapy.

If doing a task for a long time is the cause of your eyestrain, you should take short breaks to let your eyes rest. You can follow the 20/20/20 rule and take a break every 20 minutes to look at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

If your eyestrain is caused by your computer workstation, you will want to make some adjustments.

• First, put your monitor 22 to 28 inches from your eyes. Then, make sure the top of the screen is not higher than the level of your eyes.
• If you need to look back and forth between your paper and your computer screen, use a paper holder that holds your paper next to the computer screen (at the same distance and height as your computer monitor).
• Try to keep the room lighting at about the same brightness as the computer screen. Avoid having a bright window in front of you or behind you. This really helps cut glare and reflections.

Preventing eye strain will depend on the cause. Some of the steps you can take include:

• Position lamps so that they aren’t shining into your eyes
• When watching television at night, keep a soft lamp turned on
• Take a break from computer work and reading: look about 20 feet away for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes
• Remember to blink! Many people don’t blink enough when using a computer or reading
• Get an updated prescription if you’ve missed your last eye appointment
• Your computer monitor should be directly in front of you, about arm’s length away. You should be looking at it right at eye level or slightly below eye level
• Reduce glare on your computer screen
• Schedule a checkup with our eye doctors to discuss your symptoms

Oftentimes resting your eyes is the best thing you can do to reduce strain and eye fatigue.