Are you suffering from eye fatigue, blurred vision or headaches? You may experience computer vision syndrome.
According to some statistics, as much as 59% of Americans suffer computer vision syndrome, also called eye strain symptoms, mainly blamed on the increased digitization of work.
You spend long hours trying to make sense of the spreadsheets, preparing presentations, analyzing Gantt charts, and more. These super busy schedules mean that you rarely take a break from your screens.
Executives suffering from computer vision syndrome can’t reach expected performance. Fortunately, this is a health problem you can easily overcome with home remedies.
Go through the following list of eye strain symptoms. Any of these symptoms may indicate that you suffer from computer vision syndrome. And if you have five or more symptoms the probability that you are already a victim of computer vision syndrome is very high. If so, read on our list of home-based self-care remedies for it.
Computer Vision Syndrome or Eye Strain Symptoms
1. Dry/Watery Eyes
This is one of the most common eye strain symptoms.
Tears are extremely important in maintaining the eye’s good health and providing clear vision. However, computer eye vision may lead to excessive tearing (watery eyes) or conversely, reduced excretion of tears (dry eye).
Either way, your performance at work may drastically diminish because you’ll be finding it difficult to attain full concentration.
2. Burning/Tired Eyes
A number of studies have shown that you normally blink less frequently when looking at your computer or other digital tools.
Digital tasks also increase ocular surface exposure considering the horizontal viewing of screens accompanying modern-day work.
This sometimes results in eye strain symptoms: your eyes feeling tired, itchy, dry, or as if they are burning.
3. Redness or irritation
Eye redness or blood-shot eyes come about when the sensitive vessels in our eyes become irritated or swollen.
Though there are other triggers like glaucoma, this can be because of eye strain-related symptoms such as those we have mentioned above: eye fatigue, overhearing, or dry eyes.
4. Double/Blurred Vision
Managers may feel that they can no longer see clearly after a visually taxing task like reading some fine print on a screen.
Besides the blurred vision, executives also suffer from double vision, for example, after working on the iPad for hours on end.
5. Pain in Areas Surrounding the Eyes, Shoulders, or Back
Pain and eye discomfort becomes frequent in and around the eyes, shoulders, and even on the back after spending time on digital screens.
6. Sore neck
Depending on the seriousness of your computer vision syndrome, you may sense soreness around the neck. This could be as a result of the strain that one applies to the area when trying to train the eyes better on the screen.
7. Sensitivity to Light (Photophobia)
Photophobia involves being hypersensitivity to light and it’s not an eye disease but a symptom of various conditions including eye strain that that can potentially irritate your eyes.
This puts a real strain on the eyes and makes you shy away from your computer despite its importance in your work.
8. Difficulties Keeping One’s Eyes Open
At times, keeping your eyes open becomes a massive fight as long as you’re interacting with your devices in the course of duty.
9. Vertigo
Anything that needs the various eye muscles to tighten up in order to precisely aim at an item on the screen can usher in dizziness.
In severe cases and especially during busy work periods, you may endure severe vertigo lasting for up to several minutes.
Prevention of Computer Vision Syndrome
Computer usage triggered eye strain causes headaches, eye fatigue, neck soreness, and such agonies ensure you no longer enjoy your work.
Because you are unable to focus and concentrate, computer vision syndrome may adversely impact your overall productivity.
Adapting your daily habits and the environment could be all it may take to prevent this vision syndrome.
Let us delve a bit deeper into this:
1. Adopt Eye-Friendly Habits
Preventing eye strain demands that managers develop eye friendly habits. You should blink more often to keep the eyes lubricated or wear the correct glasses, including computer glasses.
Find Out More About Computer Glasses and How You Can Combat Eye Strain
2. Upgrade the Working Environment
Tweaking the outlook of the office will also benefit you, particularly where sight issues are connected to environmental issues like sub-standard lighting.
Focus should be on modifying the whole setting so we advise you to pursue additional actions such as upgrading the air quality in your rooms.
Try to use humidifiers, set the thermostat right, and commit to such other necessary acts.
Read about all the eye-friendly norms in our article on how to protect eyes from the computer.
Home Remedies for Computer Vision Syndrome
Countless home-based self-care remedies are very helpful whenever you are suffering from eye strain.
Not only are most of these treatments straightforward but they are also inexpensive.
Crucially, you will see change not long after commencing them if you do everything right.
Let’s now focus on some of the most impactful:
1. Sunning
Strongly advocated for by Dr. William Bates, one of the pioneer Ophthalmologists, sunning involves directly gazing at the sun.
Affected officials are to expose their closed eyes to bare sunlight for a minimum of three minutes a day.
When starting, begin by practicing sunning exercises early in the mornings or near dusk. You can then gradually change to other hours when the sun is stronger.
You can even engage in sunning exercises during your lunch break so long as there is enough sun.
2. Use Artificial Tears
Artificial tears are excellent for preventing and relieving computer vision syndrome due to dry eyes. They not only keep the eyes well-lubricated but also averts a recurrence of related eye strain issues.
You can take some lubricant eye drops with you as you leave home and apply them during daytime as may be necessary.
3. Palming
The second of Dr. Bates suggested eye-relaxing remedies, palming uses one’s palms to ease the eyes.
In short, the palms are usually placed over the victims closed eyelids first. You should then visualize the black color while taking deep slow breaths.
Once you do this repeatedly and gently, the straining will lower and go off completely eventually.
4. Eye Massage
Doing a self-massage on tired eyes helps offset computer vision syndrome by boosting blood circulation to the eye area in addition to releasing eye muscle tension.
Use your middle finger, thumb, and index fingers depending on the part of the eye to massage.
5. Rosewater
Rosewater is a naturally relaxing for your tired eyes and helps to refresh them and beat fatigue.
It’s also packed full of nutrients that soothe the delicate skin around your eyes making it a useful weapon when battling computer vision syndrome.
You just soak two cotton balls/pad in the rosewater then place them strategically over your eyes for some minutes in a relaxed position.
Similarly, placing beauty regimens like cucumber slices or tea bags can help soothe your eyes.
6. Swinging
You execute this technique by standing upright, then making large 180° turns towards the right and the left in alternating turns.
As you do this, visualize the motions your eyes as they try to recognize the environment.
7. Natural Products
Some natural products are also possible remedies though studies have not been conclusive. You can start off with great examples such as omega-3 fatty acids as well as bilberry extracts.
8. Get Some Shut-Eye
Sleeping will relax your eyes tremendously. If you don’t have time, close your eyes and rest them for about five minutes.
9. Splash Your Face
Try splashing your face with ice-cold water if you can tolerate it. Do the same to the back of the neck for about three to seven minutes.
10. Do a Facial With a Steaming Towel (Warm Compress)
A ‘facial’ with a steaming towel can also allay computer vision syndrome.
If you can, prepare the towel with eucalyptus oil. It will be so refreshing and fast-acting.
You soak the cloth/towel in warm water, wringing out excess water, then, place the wet cloth on top of your eyes.
FREE EBOOK