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Working at a job where you look at a digital screen all day can cause eye strain. Using your eyes to look at computers, type, write, or even drive all day can cause your eyes to feel tired, and dry, and lead to headaches. Patients may be curious if certain lenses or blue light-blocking glasses could help prevent eye strain. Different options do exist to prevent your eyes from damage and help you have better vision in your older years. If you are dealing with tired eyes or computer vision syndrome, read this blog to learn how visiting an eye care professional could help.
Common Symptoms Of Eye Strain
Not all patients with eye strain will experience the same symptoms, but there are some common ones to look out for. Feeling irritation in your eyes is an obvious symptom, but there are other physical symptoms that can be caused by eye strain.
- Itching eyes
- Dry eyes
- Watering eyes
- Headaches
- Sore neck
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Difficulty concentrating
- Blurred vision
- Discomfort in keeping eyes open
Screen Time And Its Affect On Your Eyes
According to Pew Research, 85% of adults are plugged in daily. This can mean using a computer at work, using social media after work, or watching TV in the late night hours. Our entire world revolves around screens and technology nowadays. Some people believe that the cause of eye strain is blue light, which is emitted by computers, cell phones, and TVs, but the reality is that our eyes are not truly damaged by blue light.
Looking at screens in a dark room or later into the evening is when the light can damage your eyes or cause restlessness. Using a device with a warmer light or wearing blue light glasses while working in the dark can help with eye strain.
How Blinking Helps With Eye Strain
The reason your eyes are strained after looking at screens is that we tend to forget to blink and our eyes receive a lot less moisture. Being on devices, reading articles, or watching videos causes us to stare more than normal. We forget to blink and our eyes become tired and dry. This staring process can be the leading cause of tired eyes at the end of your work day or lead to a budding headache. Taking a break during work hours can help prevent eye problems without the need for any kind of glasses or lenses.
Can Blue Light Glasses Prevent Eye Strain?
Blue light glasses are most effective when you are using screens late at night or are having trouble sleeping after using screens. Blue light isn’t really damaging to your eyes, but it can cause strain. If you are experiencing eye strain or headaches during your work day, reflective lenses may help more than blue light-blocking glasses.
Preventing Glare With Anti-Reflective Lenses
Lenses with a coating that cuts through glare may be more effective than blue light-blocking lenses. Glare can come from computer screens, headlights, bright sunshine, overhead lighting, etc. When your eyes don’t have to work as hard to avoid glare or bright lights, you will be able to avoid eye strain for longer. Protecting your eyes from strong lights and other environmental strains is an important part of physical health.
How An Optometrist Can Help
Getting your eyes checked by an optometrist can also help you avoid eye strain. Updating your prescription and adding an anti-reflective coating to your lenses can be done by your eye doctor.
Some patients also start to feel eye strain when their prescription lenses are out of date. If you haven’t been to the eye doctor in some time, your vision could have worsened or changed without your knowledge. Wearing the wrong prescription can cause your eyes to have to work much harder to see.
More About Glasses And Contacts From Wolcott Optical
Our team at Wolcott Optical has been helping improve vision for over 75 years. Our optometrists can help you see in a clearer way and avoid hurting your eyes by adjusting your prescription or prescribing different lenses. We will ensure that your lenses are the perfect fit for your eyesight and fit your personality. Whether you like bold patterns or stylish and timeless colors, we have multiple options. Wolcott Optical also offers contact lenses for those who don’t feel that glasses are their best option.
Some brands we carry include Kate Spade, Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo, Nike, and more. If you want to learn more about the benefits of eyewear, reach out to our team today!
