Why Eyes Matters As We Enter National Eye Health Week

Eye Strain or Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)

Eye strain is a feeling of fatigue or soreness in your eyes which occurs from concentrating at a fixed object for a long period of time without breaks. This could be a computer screen, Tablet or mobile phone. Other causes of eye strain include reading under a dim light, incorrect glasses or contact lens prescriptions and even tiredness and stress. Whilst eye strain is uncomfortable and irritating at the time, there are no long-term health consequences.

But if you are experiencing eye strain, try the following:

• Be strict about taking regular screen breaks throughout the day. Use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds, it’s easy to look at your phone for 20 minutes straight so try this throughout the day to give your eyes a rest.
• Try some eye yoga. This can be done anywhere, anytime. Look to the left, hold the position, repeat looking right. Look up, hold the position, repeat looking down. Repeat four times, closing your eyes and relaxing in between.
• Digital detox – you may need to use a screen for work but you can reduce your screen time significantly if you take a break from your devices in the evening. Try and give yourself and your eye some down time with a post-work digital detox or over the weekend

Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry Eye Syndrome is often seen as a symptom of eye strain but in fact it is an issue it its own right – and around one in four people in the UK (around 13 million adults) currently suffer from it. Dry Eye can be more noticeable through excessive screen time but also prolonged exposure to air conditioning or heating, and wearing contact lenses for long periods. It can also be down to hormone imbalances. Women going through the peri-menopause and menopause may also notice their eyes becoming dryer as it can be linked to hormonal changes due to levels of oestrogen decreasing.

Symptoms are varied, but most people experience a scratchy, gritty feeling that they just can’t shift, redness and puffiness, fatigued eyes that don’t want to open, even when they’ve had enough sleep, blurred vision, sensitivity to bright light and sometimes excessive watering.

Although it is uncomfortable and irritating, short term bouts of Dry Eye is not a serious condition. Dry Eye can be managed with drops that lubricate the eyes in a natural way, giving short relief from the uncomfortable symptoms.

Eye Twitching

Eye lid twitching or spasms are very common and usually occur when you are tired, stressed, dehydrated, have drunk too much caffeine or if your eyes are irritated. An eye twitch is when your eyelid feels like it is quivering or being tugged. Sometimes this sensation can come and go very quickly, at other times it could last for several days.

Eye twitching is another lifestyle-related eye issue and twitches don’t usually indicate any underlying eye health condition, although if you are concerned about eyelid spasms and if your symptoms become chronic then it is advisable to contact your optician or GP.

To combat eyelid twitching you could try applying a warm compress to the eye, making sure you are getting enough sleep and are properly hydrated, monitoring your alcohol and caffeine intake and trying some relaxation techniques.

Floaters

Small black dots in your line of vision are known as floaters – these are common and often go away on their own. However, if you notice an increase in floaters, especially accompanied with flashing lights, this could indicate a more serious problem and you should contact your optician or GP immediately.

Floaters are tiny pieces of debris in the eye fluid that is often associated with ageing. They should settle on their own and not cause ongoing issues, however you may require treatment if they are impacting your vision significantly.

Age-related eye issues (Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma)

Whilst many eye issues are common and lifestyle-related, there are a number of more serious age-related eye issues that shouldn’t be ignored. These include cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Often these conditions can cause vision to deteriorate over time and you may not be aware that you are experiencing symptoms. With this is mind it is crucial to attend an eye examination at least every two years so your optician has a full and up-to-date record of your eye health and can spot any more serious issues at an early stage.

Cataracts

Cataracts are what happen when the lens within the eye gradually becomes cloudy, loses transparency and impairs vision. Cataracts develop gradually over the years and sometimes they go unnoticed as the vision deteriorates so slowly. While cataracts are not painful, they will affect your eyes in several ways – sometimes one eye will be worse than the other, but usually both are affected.

Signs of cataracts include blurry or cloudy vision, faded colours, glare or a ‘halo’ effect when looking at lights, double vision, frequent changes in your glasses/contact lenses prescription and trouble seeing at night.

The tests used to diagnose cataracts are fairly standard and the type of tests you would have at a regular check-up. Therefore, as long as you make and attend regular eye tests, the development of cataracts should be picked up by your optometrist.