Are your eyes really tired? Let's talk about this! (Eye Strain)

After working in front of the computer all day or scrolling on your phone, do your eyes start to hurt, feel like gourds, and turn red in the evening? Sometimes, do you also feel a headache and aches? Many people are familiar with this experience. We simply call this condition "Eye Strain" or eye fatigue. This is not a serious illness to be afraid of, but it can be very annoying for our daily work. So let's talk about it all today.

What exactly is Eye Strain?

Simply put, just like our legs hurt from walking all day, when we work hard with our eyes for a long time, we call it Eye Strain. In medicine, this is also called `(Asthenopia)`.

Imagine, you are reading a book continuously, staring at a computer screen, or driving a car at night. In all these situations, the small muscles in your eyes have to work continuously and attentively. Just like doing the same exercise at the gym. After a while, those muscles get tired. That's when we start to feel these discomforts.

Especially nowadays, we spend most of our lives in front of digital screens like phones, computers, and tablets. The eye strain that occurs as a result of this is also called "Digital Eye Strain" . This has become a very common condition. According to surveys, about two out of every three people who use computers experience these symptoms.

What are the symptoms of an eye strain?

The symptoms of eye strain are not limited to the eyes. Sometimes it can affect other parts of the body as well. Let's take a look at what these symptoms are.

Why do our eyes get so tired?

The main cause of eye strain is focusing on the same task for a long time. The main factors that contribute to this are:

• Digital Screen Use: Continuously staring at things like computers, phones, tablets, and video games is a major cause.
• Reading: Reading something like a book or newspaper continuously.
• Driving: Especially long distance driving and driving at night.
• Fine work: Work that requires attention to fine details, such as sewing, knitting, writing, and drawing.
• Insufficient lighting: Reading or working in low light is very tiring on the eyes.
• Decreased Blinking: This is something that many people don't know. Normally, we blink about 15-20 times per minute. This keeps our eyes moist and clean. But when we stare intently at a computer screen, this number of blinks decreases to about 5-7 times per minute. Then the eyes become dry and contribute to eye strain.

Additionally, if you already have an eye condition (for example, the need to wear glasses, an imbalance in the eye muscles), you are at higher risk of developing eye strain. Stress and fatigue can also contribute to this.

Okay, so what do we do about this eye strain?

The best thing about this is that it is not a serious illness, and we can get great relief from small changes in our lifestyle.

Remember the 20-20-20 rule!

This is the most popular and simplest solution to Digital Eye Strain.

This will give your eye muscles a little rest after straining to look up. You can look out the window, or at something in the far corner of the room. You can even set a reminder on your phone to make this a habit.

More things you can do

• Using Lubricating Eye Drops (Artificial Tears): If your eyes feel dry, you can use these eye drops as directed by your doctor. These provide moisture to the eyes and provide relief.
• Keep the lighting right : The lighting in your workspace should be adequate. The ambient light should not be too much less or too much more than the light coming from the screen. Try to reduce the glare on the screen. Using a glare filter is also a good solution.
• Adjust the screen settings: Adjust the brightness, contrast, and font size of your computer screen to a level that is comfortable for you. If the font is too small, it will be a strain on your eyes.
• Maintain good posture: When sitting in front of the computer, keep the screen slightly below your eye level and about an arm's length away. Adjust your chair to make it comfortable for you. This will also reduce neck and back pain.
• Using a humidifier: If the environment you live in is very dry (like an AC room), a humidifier can add moisture to the air and reduce dry eyes.
• Avoid smoking: Smoking is very harmful to the eyes. It can cause dry eyes and increase the risk of developing serious conditions like cataracts.

When should we see a doctor for this?

Eye strain is usually a condition that gets better on its own when we give our eyes a rest. Therefore, there is no need to see a doctor all the time.

However, you should definitely see a doctor in the following cases:

• If your symptoms persist or worsen day by day despite doing the above.
• If this eye discomfort is severe enough to interfere with your daily activities .
• If you experience a severe headache or changes in vision (like seeing two things).

When you see a doctor, they will ask you about your symptoms, what you do, and what time of day you experience them. They will then do an eye exam to see if you need glasses (for example, nearsightedness - `Myopia` or farsightedness - `Hyperopia`) or if you have any other conditions.

Cases requiring emergency treatment (when to go to the ETU)