What is eye fatigue? Discover eye fatigue causes, symptoms, and treatments

Do you often feel tired, sore, or strained in your eyes? You may be experiencing eye fatigue or eye exhaustion.

Eye fatigue is a common condition that affects people of all ages. It is characterized by tiredness, dryness, and strain in the eyes. This condition can result from various causes, including extended computer use.

If you suffer from discomfort and tension in the eyes, this article will discuss all your concerns.

Causes of eye fatigue

Several factors can contribute to eye stress. Here are the most common causes of eye fatigue

1- Using digital devices

In today’s digital age, computers, smartphones, and tablets have become integral to our lives. Unfortunately, these devices emit blue light that can cause eye strain. Looking at computer screens for a long duration can lead to headaches, tired eyes, dry eyes, and other vision problems.

2- Reading and writing habits 

Apart from digital devices, reading in poor light can affect your eyesight. Similarly, writing for extended periods can also cause eye fatigue, neck, and shoulder pain, or muscle tension. Reading and writing without glasses can further deteriorate your vision if you already have weak eyesight. Ask your opticians about bluelight lenses, these could help reduce digital eye fatigue if you use digital devices frequently.

3- Driving

Long-distance driving can lead to eye fatigue due to the extended focus on the road. Eye stress can also be caused by other activities that need focusing on long-distance objects.

4- Exposure to bright lights

Bright lights, including sunlight or glare from headlights, can cause eye exhaustion if exposed for prolonged periods.

5- Medical issues

Eye fatigue can also result from underlying medical conditions, such as dry eyes, allergies, and certain eye disorders, including astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness.

Eye strain symptoms

If you’re experiencing eye fatigue, you’re likely to experience some of these common symptoms:

• Sore eyes
• Dry eyes
• Watery eyes
• Itching or burning eyes
• Blurred or double vision
• Sensitivity to light or photophobia
• Difficulty in keeping eyes open

Eye strain can also cause headaches, sore necks, back and shoulders, and difficulty concentrating.

5 tips to reduce eye fatigue

Here are some practical tips for mitigating eye fatigue and strain:

1- Adjust the computer screen brightness

Adjusting the brightness of your computer can help reduce eye strain and dizziness and make it easier to read comfortably. Consider using a glare filter for the computer screen, which can also help reduce eye tiredness.

2- Improve work conditions

Make a suitable work environment and set up an ergonomic office desk. Consult online resources to help ensure you’re sitting and working at the correct angles. Also, get rid of any harsh lights in the working area.

3- Use the 20-20-20 rule

Use the 20-20-20 rule to reduce eye strain stress. This rule suggests taking a break to focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes of work on a computer or other digital device. It will help your eyes rest and recover from focusing on the screen for too long.

4- Get help for eye fatigue

If you experience prolonged symptoms of eye stress, talk to your optometrist. They can diagnose and treat eye strain, helping you feel better so you can return to your work refreshed.

Following the tips for reducing eye fatigue can make a huge difference. A Karir optician will show you lens options based on your needs. Book your appointment today!