Dry and tired eyes have become a common condition with many these days. Long hours of driving, reading or working on digital platforms such as computers, mobiles, video games and so on lead to eye strain. Any discomfort caused in your eyes by excessive wear and tear is collectively referred to as eye strain.
Eye strain or eye fatigue is very common among the working professionals. Acute or chronic periods of headaches, lower back or neck pain, dry and tired eyes, difficulty in concentration and focus, burning sensation in the eyes, blurring or double vision and also an increased sensitivity to light are the common symptoms of tired eyes.
There are a handful of factors that cause eye fatigue. The top five lifestyle habits that can lead to tired eyes are:
1.Prolonged hours of exposure to digital devices like computer screens, smartphones, and video games. This causes ‘Digital eye strain’ or scientifically known as ‘Computer Vision Syndrome’ (CVS). The sections of people primarily affected are:
IT/ITES Professionals
• BPOs / Call Center Employees
• Advertising professionals
• Game developers and designers
2.Extended periods of reading, writing and driving. People who drive frequently after sun set and are exposed to pollution are also prone to suffering from tired eyes. Improper reading position and not sufficient light can also cause tired eyes. People travelling in buses and public transport with a travel time of 2-3 hours per day are prone to dry eyes producing eye strain.Exposure to bright light or straining to see in dim light is also a major cause of eye strain.
Constant re-adjustment to different intensity of light is challenging and straining for the eye. Staying in an air conditioned room or around a dry heating system for 8-10 hours a day whether in an office or at home can also cause tired and dry eyes. This happens because we deprive our eyes of natural moisture leaving them sore and hurting.
3.Exposure to various types of eye allergens like:
• Outdoor allergens, such as pollen in the air from natural plant habitats such as grass & trees.
• Indoor allergens, such as mites and molds.
• Irritants, such as dust, wind and smoke.
4.Blinking less than normal when performing extended visual tasks like coding, designing, watching a video, etc. This causes the Ciliary muscles in the eye to constrict and therefore causes an eye strain.(An average human eye is expected to blink about 18-20 times a minute, which has dropped down to only 6-7 times in a recent survey conducted among IT population across India). Persons with medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and thyroid related issues are more prone to eye strain.
5.Natural Aging Process (especially prevalent during menopause in women) produces excessive eye related discomfort and eye Strains. Our body ages with us and hence the older we get, the weaker our body gets and this holds true for our eye muscles too. Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and thyroid related issues are more prone to eye strain too.
If you suffer from dry and tired eyes, you may require immediate medication like eye lubricants or eye drops
tired eye relief .