You are constantly using your eyes. You may not even realize how much you rely on them. You use your eyes for activities like reading or when you are on the computer. You also rely on your eyes for tasks like driving, running, and playing sports. Even sleeping can be done with your eyes open. Using your eyes so much will inevitably take a toll on them.

Different ways you can damage your eyes

Not wearing sunglasses every day

In order to ensure that the sun’s rays don’t harm your eyes, you should always wear sunglasses. It is a habit to forget this and sometimes even forget to wear sunglasses when going outside. Sunglasses help reduce the risk of being exposed to damaging UV rays and glare.

Exposing yourself to too much blue light

Blue light is found in common electronics like computers and cell phones. The use of these devices has become very common, and they can cause eye strain because of the amount of time you need to look at them. This strain can cause headaches and make it more difficult for you to focus.

Wearing contact lenses without taking care of them correctly

Contact lenses are very helpful. However, not all contacts are created equal. If you do not know how to care for your contact lenses properly, the risk of eye strain is high. Things can cause eye strain when using your contacts, such as wearing them for too long, using the wrong type of contacts, or using the wrong solutions.

Wearing sunglasses indoors too often

It is a habit to have sunglasses in your hand when you are indoors. This can be both good and bad. It’s good because it helps you protect your eyes from harsh light that could cause discomfort, but it can also be bad because you may forget and not wear them when outside. The light in the room or the computer screen can cause eye strain even if you wear sunglasses.

Smoking

Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products are very harmful to your eyes. These products contain many chemicals that can cause eye problems. These include irritants that damage the eyes, compounds that make the eyes more sensitive to light, and compounds that can interfere with the vision of your contacts.

Drinking too much alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can cause eye strain. However, certain types of beer and wine low in alcohol have been proven to have fewer negative effects on your eyes. Bear in mind that you can still be heavily impacted by a night of drinking if you get drunk, but you will likely not see as bad a result as if you drink champagne or whiskey.

Effects of eye strain

You cannot sleep

Eye strain comes in many forms, not just tired eyes and headaches. Eye strain can lead to insomnia, and it can also cause you to feel sleepy even when you are awake. You may experience this when using your computer for long periods or watching a TV or movie that’s especially bright. You may even have difficulty focusing on a book because the glare from the light or reflections off the page makes it difficult to read.

You have blurry vision

If you have blurry vision, you may cry more easily or find it difficult to clean. The eyes can be very sensitive to irritants like dust and smoke. Your eyes also rely on muscles to stay focused and work correctly, so if these muscles are tired, they may not be able to focus correctly. If your eyes do not focus correctly, everything you look at will appear blurry. In turn, this can affect many aspects of your life, such as schoolwork, as it may cause poor school performance.

You have headaches

If you find yourself getting headaches after looking at objects for too long, they could signify that you are experiencing eye strain. This can be caused by several things, including not wearing the right lenses or having difficulty reading out of the normal range of vision.

How to avoid eye strain

Use special glasses to reduce glare

Glare gives you a headache, and it isn’t easy to focus on objects. Using special glasses can help prevent this from happening. This is better because it will lessen the amount of light hitting your eyes and reduce the strain caused by this.

Use reading glasses or bifocals when needed

If you wear reading glasses or bifocals, you protect your eyes from the strain that can arise from things like how close you are to a computer screen or having to read in bright light. They can also allow for clearer vision when needed.

Enough sleep

Sleep is extremely important for your eyes. If you are having trouble sleeping, try and figure out what is causing it to take care of it. It would be best if you also got enough sleep to keep your eyes from getting tired.

Avoid eye strain when using electronics

If you use electronics too much, they could cause eye strain on you. The computer screen blurs if your eyes need to focus on objects close by. You might also be using the wrong lenses, or your computer is too bright.

Wear special contact lens cleaners

Take care of your contact lenses properly. If you don’t take care of your contacts properly, they can damage your eyes and cause eye strain. This can lead to problems such as red eyes and infections.

Conclusion

Eye strain is a very real problem that can happen to anybody. By making sure that you are taking care of glasses and contacts, getting enough sleep, and avoiding eye strain when using electronics, you can significantly reduce the risk of eye strain.