Does eye strain cause headaches?

If you’ve ever wondered to yourself “what’s giving me all these headaches?” and you suffer from eye strain then that could be the very cause. 

What causes eye strain headaches?

There are many factors that can affect the strain your eyes are under. Here are just a few examples:

• If you have prolonged time on a single task then your eyes can get tired after continual focus. This applies to both digital and physical tasks.
• Sitting too close or too far from a screen.
• If the environment you are in is too bright or dim then your eyes may become tired and strained. A good way to test if a room is not lit properly is if you have to squint to see what you’re doing.
• Finally, if you have existing poor vision or recently were given a new prescription of eyewear then it’s likely that your headaches could be due to your eyes working in a new way.

New Prescriptions

Headaches can occur when wearing new prescription eyeglasses. Usually, these go away in a day or so as your brain and eyes adjust. It’s important to remember that wearing accurately prescribed glasses are going to be incredibly helpful for your vision in the long run.

Wearing new glasses changes how your eyes function. You essentially have to wait for the muscles to catch up and adapt to the new frames. These headaches are not permanent and will disappear as soon as your eyes have adjusted. However, you should get in contact with your doctor if this is not the case and your headaches don’t dissipate within a week. Or you are showing any of the following symptoms:

• sudden vision changes
• nausea
• vomiting
• dizziness
• severe eye pain

Normally, however, all that is needed is a slight adjustment to the frame or lens of the glasses to make them more comfortable to use.

How to Prevent Eye Strain

The majority of methods to prevent or reduce eye strain are simple lifestyle adjustments that are easy to make. For example, it can be as easy as sitting in a dimly lit room as opposed to a dark one whilst watching TV. Alternatively, you could sit further away from your digital screen. One of the easiest and most effective things you can do is take breaks. Taking a 20-second break, looking at something 20 feet away for every 20 minutes of work is considered the golden rule.

If you are currently experiencing headaches and you’re not sure why then a good first step would be to get your eyes tested. This could lead to you discovering that all you need is to have a prescription update.

Getting your eyes tested at Focus Medical Eye Centre

We have a large selection of high-quality spectacle frames to choose from. If you’re looking to get your eyes tested, even if you’re not experiencing headaches; get in touch with us at Focus Medical Eye Centre today. To book an appointment with us, call 01323 442062 or email info@focusmedicaleyecentre.co.uk. Alternatively, you can fill in a contact form here.