If your eyes feel tired or sore, or your head hurts frequently, you may have eye strain. Tired eyes only feel after a long day at work or before bed. This can be caused by strained eyes from focusing on the computer or small objects. Whatever the reason, learn to rest, strengthen, and relieve your dry eyes. If the symptoms do not improve or get worse, visit your doctor immediately for a full examination.
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Part 1 of 4: Resting and Relaxing the Eyes
Step 1. Make an eye conditioning mask
This mask can restore strained eyes. Wet a clean dry towel with sterile water to cover your eyes. Make sure to drain the water completely out of the towel, then fold and roll it along the length of the towel to cover your eyes. Lie down and place a towel over your eyes for 2-7 minutes. You can repeat this process as many times as you want.
- You can also apply a cold compress (such as ice) or an old tea bag on your eye. Tea bags contain tannins that help block blood vessels and relieve eye swelling from strained eyes.
- Do not put cucumber slices in your eyes because of the risk of bacterial contamination.
- If you want to relax even more, apply a few drops of rosewater or lavender oil to the eye mask or massage into the eyelids before putting the mask on.
Step 2. Change your lighting
Turn off blinding lights, auxiliary lights, or fluorescent light bulbs. These lights make the eyes work harder to adjust and eyes that are long exposed to bright light will overstimulate the eyes and body. This will cause irritability and fatigue. Create a comfortable lighting environment by changing light bulbs to soft/warm light bulbs. Use the dimmer switch to adjust the lighting levels so that everyone in the family can adjust the light as needed.
Natural light can cause glare on computer monitors, increasing eye strain. Make sure you use an anti-reflective screen to reduce glare on the monitor
Step 3. Adjust the glare, brightness and contrast levels of your monitor screen
If you work or study in front of the computer for a long time, make sure the monitor screen is not too close to your eyes. Adjust the brightness and contrast settings until you can see the screen comfortably. Some websites offer tools to help you make these adjustments. The brightest light should be on the side of the monitor. All strong light should form a 90 degree angle with the monitor to reduce the reflection of bright light entering the eye.
Reduce glare on the monitor screen with blinds
Step 4. Adjust the colors on your monitor (color temperature)
The colors used must match the lighting in the existing environment. Avoid blushing, which can cause eyestrain due to the constant adjustment of the eyes. Better, make sure the lighting in the room is similar to your monitor. Choose soft light with little natural light.
You should adjust any flickering that appears due to the monitor's back light. Your eyes will constantly adjust to the blinking, making them tense. If this problem cannot be fixed, replace your monitor
Part 2 of 4: Strengthen and Focus Your Eyes
Step 1. Strengthen your eyelids
You can strengthen the muscles that surround your eyeballs, just like any other muscle in your body. Strengthen your eyelids after working at the computer or during breaks. Close your eyes halfway, noticing the vibrations that continue to occur on your upper eyelid. This reaction of the eye is normal when not blinking. Concentrate on stopping the eyelid vibration for 5 seconds.
- Lower the eyelids in half and focus on stopping the shaking of the eyelids until the eyes narrow, which can relieve eye strain. Squinting can temporarily reduce pupil size and bend light so you can see better.
- Do not do slanted eyes too often because it will cause headaches and eye strain.
Step 2. Relax and breathe
When your eyelids are halfway down, close them slowly and rest your eyelids. Inhale and exhale several times to increase oxygen in the blood, as well as overall blood circulation. As you inhale, imagine oxygenated air entering through your nose and into your eyes. Exhale through your mouth. Repeat this process for 1-2 minutes.
The purpose of this exercise is to relax the eyes and strengthen the eyelids
Step 3. Do focus exercises (accommodation and convergence)
Try focusing on objects at different distances, to relieve eye strain a bit. Take short breaks to focus your eyes and remind yourself to blink to keep your eyes hydrated. Do focus exercises by holding the pen at arm's length. Focus your eyes on the tip of the pen while slowly bringing the pen to your nose. Do as many as 10 repetitions and combine it too by focusing your eyes on objects near you and in the distance. Thus, the strain on the eyes will subside.
Focusing exercises will improve vision, reduce eye strain, and treat eye twitching. When the eye has good visual acuity or can see more easily, the strain on the eye will be reduced so that the eye has no difficulty adapting to regular focusing
Step 4. Take time to rest your eyes
Do this if your eyes feel strained because you've been looking at a computer screen, reading, or other activities that require concentration. Try looking at the tip of your nose, then at an object at arm's length or about 6 meters away, then look back at the tip of your nose. Repeat 10 times. Try changing focus every 15 to 30 times by looking the other way.
Choose an object that is a different distance away when resting your eyes. Or, you can also give your eyes a break by getting away from the computer and taking a minute to walk
Part 3 of 4: Relieves Dry Eyes
Step 1. Understand how tears work
Most cases of eye strain are caused by dry eyes. Tears are made of 3 layers: oil/lipid (fat), water, and a layer of mucus. The problems that all these layers experience can cause dry eyes. Once you understand the function of each layer, you can determine what problems are causing dry eye. For example, tears that don't contain enough protein to fight bacteria can dry out due to irritation from a chronic infection. The parts of the tear have the following functions:
- Mucous layer: This is the lowest layer of the tear that provides stability and helps it stay glued to the eye. This layer keeps tears in your eyes and doesn't spill.
- Water layer. The middle layer provides the electrolytes needed to strengthen the tears. This layer contains bacteria-killing enzymes and proteins. The watery nature of this layer makes tears cover the eyes quickly.
- Oil/lipid (fat) layer: this outer layer seals the tears and covers the entire eye with a film to protect the eye.
Step 2. Use over-the-counter eye drops
If your eyes feel dry after knitting or looking at the computer for a long time, apply eye drops. There are many brands available, so try one by one until you find the one that suits you best. You may need to use more than one brand. Be aware that eye drops are not a substitute for natural tears, they only relieve dryness by replacing the outer film of tears. If you suffer from chronic dry eye, the medication will continue to be used even if dry eye symptoms do not appear. Some things to note include:
- The lubricant is called hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or HPMC), glycerin, or polysorbate. This material mimics tears because it has a surface tension similar to that of attaching tears to the surface of the eye.
- Preservative-free eye drops can reduce the risk of allergies or sensitivities in dry eyes.
- Eye ointment is useful as a lubricant if you can't use eye drops for a long time. Drops such as Systane can be used up to 4-6 times a day or as needed.
Step 3. Try using eye drops
Your eye doctor will prescribe eye medication after examining the cause of your dry eyes. These medications are substitutes for tears. These medications, such as HPMC and COMC (Carboxy Methylcellulose) contain artificial tears and other ingredients to lubricate the eye. This medication will relieve dry eye symptoms, but must be used frequently (4-6 times a day or as needed). If the medication is prescribed in the form of a gel, the medication needs to be administered once or twice a day.
- Follow the dosage recommended by your doctor.
- If you use contact lenses, remove the lenses before applying eye medication. Replace contact lenses after 30 minutes of taking the drug.
Step 4. Use eye ointment
Ointments are usually used to lubricate the eye, but there are several types available. Antibiotic ointments can be used to treat chlamydial conjunctivitis (chlamydia conjunctivitis), which is dry eye caused by a disease of the glands that produce the lipid layer of tears, or swelling from inflammation of the eyelids. This ointment is often used to lubricate the eye for extended periods of time when eye drops cannot be used (for example, during sleep).
Over-the-counter eye ointments are also widely available. You can try different brands one by one until you find the one that suits you best
Part 4 of 4: Preventing Eye Strain
Step 1. Protect your eyes
Try not to expose your eyes directly to air, for example on car heaters, hair dryers, and air conditioners. You should also wear sunglasses when out in the sun or goggles when swimming. Protect your eyes to keep them moist. You can also try wearing special glasses that form a humidity chamber around your eyes to get extra moisture for your eyes.
Keep the humidity level in the house in the range of 30-50%. Add moisture to the house if the room air feels dry during winter with a humidifier
Step 2. Increase your intake of omega fatty acids and water
Tears are made of water, mucus, and fat. Therefore, increased oil and water can moisturize your eyes. Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to help improve tear integrity and stability. Omega 6 fatty acids also help reduce inflammation and relieve dry eye symptoms.
Women are advised to drink 9 glasses of water per day, and men are advised to drink 13 glasses per day
Step 3. Blink frequently
Blinking helps refresh your eyes by spreading the tear film evenly. Blinking will relieve eye strain from dry eyes. Blinking is especially important when you focus on a computer screen or monitor for a very long time. Always remember to blink, or schedule a break every 15 minutes to reduce eye strain symptoms.
The number of human blinks focused on the computer was reduced by up to 66%
Step 4. Know when you should see a doctor
See your doctor if treatments don't work, or you suffer from chronic eye fatigue, or have dangerous symptoms with eye fatigue. Inform your doctor about your concerns so he or she will be able to answer questions and raise concerns you didn't know about before. For example, you may have a more complex disease with symptoms of eye fatigue. Among them:
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome): a condition that causes constant fatigue and vision problems (which are often mistaken for eye fatigue). Corrective lenses do not correct changes in vision (eg blurring of bricks) and eye examinations are often abnormal. This condition requires professional medical treatment.
- Thyroid eye disease: This is an eye problem that feels like eye fatigue. Some thyroid problems, such as Graves' disease (a condition in which the body attacks the thyroid tissue and its own eyes) can cause the eyes to swell.
- Astigmatism: This condition occurs when the cornea of the eye curves abnormally, resulting in blurred vision.
- Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome: This condition causes dry eyes due to systematic problems such as diabetes or Sjorgrens disease.
Tips
- Make sure your eyeglass and contact lens prescription matches your current eye condition. Have your eyes checked by a doctor regularly.
- You can also use software called “f.lux” which changes the screen color to orange and reduces the strain on the eyes.
- If you wear contact lenses, look for drops specifically designed for contact lenses.
- Stop smoking because it can damage the eyes and cause various other health problems.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes because bacteria can get into them.
- Use eye drops before doing activities that really require your vision to prevent dry eyes.
