How to Relieve Eye Strain

What we call eyestrain actually occurs when your eyes are tired from intense use, this can happen due to excessive driving, reading or working at a computer. Eye strain can be very annoying most times, but the good news is that it is not a very serious issue, and most times it goes away once you rest your eyes. However, you must be careful because sometimes eyestrain can be an underlying eye condition that needs treatment. You should take steps that could help you to reduce eyestrain.

[Read: Computer Vision Syndrome and Eye Care]

Give Break to your Eyes

It is important that you give break to your eye by forcing them to focus on something other than you’re the source that is causing your eyes to hurt. If you are in front of a computer screen then allow yourself to take breaks in between. Take your eyes off every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Take breaks every 15 to 30 minutes and do that work which doesn’t strain your eyes.

Blink your Eyes

Blinking of the eye is very important, it refreshes the eyes and so do it regularly. People tend to blink less and this is one of the prime reasons for the strain that you are feeling in your eyes. Moreover, when you blink your eyes produce tears and this moistens and refreshes them. Therefore, you must make a conscious effort to blink more often.

Cold Water

Splashing cold water on your face is a good idea; best way is to use extremely cold water, preferably with ice cubes in them. But this is not to be tried by those who cannot stand such a dip in temperature. Splash your face for 3 to 7 minutes, and also reach the back of the neck as well. Try to use a compressor an eye mask or may be an eye mask that you can keep in the refrigerator or freezer.

Massage

Try to give yourself a good massage, the eyelids, muscles over the brow, temple, and upper cheek, at least twice regularly. This will relax your eye muscles immensely, and you can perform this with your own bare fingers. You should massage your upper eyelids gently against the bone on the brow for about 10 seconds, and after that follow it up by massaging your lower eyelid against the lower bone for good 10 seconds. This process can stimulate your tear glands, which may help prevent dry eyes. Massaging the muscles in the area around your eye (orbit) also helps relax those muscles, which may reduce some of the symptoms of eyestrain.

[Read: Home Remedies for Sore Eyes]

Artificial Teardrops

You can buy artificial tear drops that can help you to prevent from dry eyes. Consult a doctor who will suggest you a teardrop that would suit best for you. You can use those lubricating drops which do not contain preservatives for as long as you wish to, in fact you should avoid the ones that contain preservatives. Also avoid those eye drops that contain redness remover, as they may worsen dry eye symptoms.

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