London Vision Clinic’s Guide To Treat Eyes Strain

In this crazy, modern, techy world that we live in, we don’t take it easy on our eyes. Today many jobs require that we spend hours and hours in front of computer screens. Many people even elect to read on computer screens rather than actual books. With that being said, books are sometimes not much of an optical improvement. Eye strain can cause dryness, migraines and, later down the road, permanent vision problems.

When I was in college, I realised that my eyes were starting to suffer. With a degree in English Literature, I had to spend hours reading and writing papers on the computer. In my senior year, I was beginning to have trouble focusing on the words on the page. I started getting headaches. I was a fiend for eye drops. And, the worst for an English student, I was having trouble keeping up with my readings. The consequence? A few hours at the optometrist’s office and a couple hundred pounds in glasses.

So what can you do to kick the eye strain blues and potentially save yourself some money down the road?

Eye Strain Can Be Treated In The Following Ways:

• Keep your distance. Don’t stick your face in the book or right up against the computer screen. The proper distance to read a book is recommended to be at least 30 centimeters. Reading too closely causes the eyes to start straining more quickly. If you are having problems seeing clearly from this distance, you should make an appointment with your eye doctor.
• Give your eyes a break. For people who suffer from eye strain, especially those who spend copious amounts of time on the computer, medical professionals have what they refer to as the 20-20-20 rule. This means that every 20 minutes your give your eyes a break for 20 seconds by staring at an object 20 feet away. This relaxes the muscles in the eye that control focusing and help to reduce and prevent strain.
• Get a comprehensive eye exam. This is, without a doubt, the most important. Regular visits to your eye care professional are singlehandedly the best preventative measure for long term vision problems. Just remember to be honest when you pop in for your eye exam. Let your doctor know how many hours you spend engaging in optically strenuous activities such as reading and working on the computer. You can contact London Vision Clinic today to make an appointment on  0207 224 1005.