Have you started to notice that your eye has started to ache a little more easily, to feel dry and irritated, especially if you have spent a lot more time sitting in front of a computer screen? If that’s the case, then you may well want to keep an eye out for eyestrain, a problem that predominantly affects those who work or game for long hours in front of digital displays. Here, we’re going to look at what you ought to know about the issue, whether it poses any risk to your health, and what you can do to manage it better.
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The facts on eyestrain
Eyestrain, also known as asthenopia, is a symptom that can be caused by various factors, rather than a specific health condition or disease in its own right. It’s usually experienced by people who work on a computer for long periods of time, but people who spend a long time looking at their phones or gaming can be at risk as well. This is usually due to the blue light that’s emitted by digital displays that affect the eye a little differently than other sources of light. Eyestrain can cause a range of symptoms including sore, itchy, and watering eyes, blurred vision, neck and shoulder tension, and headaches. These symptoms can cause a whole host of issues, such as making it difficult to work effectively.
Dealing with it
Since eyestrain is primarily caused by exposing the eye to blue light, doing what you can to mitigate this exposure is going to reduce your chances of being affected by it. Taking the time to look away from the computer every hour or so can help your eyes get the rest that they need. There are also blue light-blocking glasses like Bjorn Blue that can protect your eyes directly from this kind of light, allowing you to not worry about having to take extra breaks from your work. To prevent eyestrain, it is important to ensure that your home office has adequate lighting. Without enough light to contrast the blue light from the computer, your risk of getting eyestrain increases. Both allowing more natural light in and using other light sources as that contrast can help.
When to worry about eyestrain
In the vast majority of cases, there’s no reason to think that eyestrain is going to lead to any long-term or permanent damage to the eyes. Yes, there is some possibility that not taking care of your eyes can lead to changes in your prescription, but there are very few links between overexposure to blue light and permanent changes to the anatomy of the eye. Where eyestrain can lead to serious damage is with your mental health, however. Being forced to take breaks from work and spending more of the day with eyestrain can lead to increased feelings of stress. If allowed to keep piling on, this stress can have severe impacts on your mental and physical well-being.
Taking care of your eyes should be enough reason to keep the above tips in mind, but don’t underestimate the long-term impacts of eyestrain, either.