Eye strain is a common eye condition that is caused primarily when your eyes are used for a prolonged period of time, or for certain activities such as computer use, writing, and reading. While it is not a serious condition, eye strain can be associated with uncomfortable symptoms, such as:
- Difficulty focusing
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Sore or irritated eyes
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
Visiting your optometrist when you experience any of the above symptoms, and understanding what causes eye strain can help you avoid many of the frustrating side-effects and keep your vision clear and comfortable.
Comprehensive Management and Treatment of Eye Strain in Calgary
At our eye clinic in Market Mall, our Calgary optometrists offer a wide range of ocular services to keep your eyes healthy. This includes dry eye care, emergency eye services, and contact lens fittings, so your whole family can enjoy clear and comfortable vision.
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3 Tips to Avoid The Uncomfortable Symptoms of Eye Strain
Today, our lives are dependent on technology, which means that eye strain is an increasingly common eye condition. Luckily, the chances of you experiencing the symptoms of eye strain can be significantly reduced by taking certain steps in your day to day life.
This includes:
1. Visiting Your Optometrist Regularly
To ensure clear and comfortable vision, you must schedule regular eye exams with your Calgary optometrist. He/she can check the health of your eyes and look for signs of any underlying medical conditions that may be causing the eye strain.
Additionally, your optometrist can provide dry eye care services to determine the cause of the eye strain and recommend treatment options to restore the clarity and comfort to your vision.
2. Developing Good Computer Habits
If you spend the majority of your day on the computer, then it is critical that you begin developing good habits when it comes to screen usage. This means that throughout the day, you should:
- Blink more often: This will moisten your eyes and prevents dryness and irritation.
- Get up frequently: One of the simplest ways to avoid eye strain while on the computer is taking at least 4 15 minute breaks throughout the day.
- Exercise your eyes: To prevent eye fatigue, look away from your desk at least once every 20 minutes. Gaze at a distant object (20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds. This is called the 20-20-20 rule.
Adjust Your Computer Display Settings
Adjusting the display settings on your computer can greatly reduce eye strain and fatigue. You should consider changing your computer’s:
- Brightness: The brightness of the display should be the same as that of your surrounding work-station.
- Colour temperature: Lowering the colour temperature on your display lowers the amount of blue light emitted from the screen.
- Text size and contrast: If you’re reading or composing long documents, a larger black print on a white background will give most comfort.
Not only will making these changes make your vision more comfortable, they’ll also increase your productivity!
3. Wearing Blue Light Lenses
The blue light emitted from digital devices such as smartphones and computers contributes greatly to eye strain. Not only that, but it can also have some serious eye health effects including:
- Increased risk of developing macular degeneration
- Retina damage
- Blurred vision
If you do spend a significant amount of time on your computer, talk to your optometrist about adding a blue light coating to the lenses of your eyeglasses to reduce your exposure and protect your vision.
3 REASONS TO FIT YOUR EYEGLASSES WITH A BLUE LIGHT FILTER
Call Today
To find out more about how our Calgary optometrists can eliminate any uncomfortable symptoms of eye strain and how they can help you achieve optimal eye health and clarity of vision, visit our Calgary eye clinic at 3625 Shaganappi Trail NW (Next to Milestones) Calgary, Alberta, T3A 0E2.
Alternatively, you can contact us at 403-286-4884 or fill in our online contact form.
