When you stare at a computer or TV screen, read or drive for long periods of time, your eyes are fixed on one point, meaning you blink less and your eyes therefore become dry, itchy and generally fatigued, according to eye-strain.org. By giving yourself regular eye breaks and performing scanning exercises to re-energize and stretch the eyes, you can avoid these symptoms of eye strain. However, if your symptoms persist or you have an existing eye condition, you should always seek medical advice.
Eye Scanning Exercise
Imagine trying to hold a hand weight in the bicep curl position for several hours: Your arm muscles are bound to get tired and sore. Your eye muscles respond in a similar way when they have to tense or strain to maintain focus on a fixed point, such as your computer screen. Eye scanning at regular points throughout the day will give your eye muscles a chance to stretch and relax and improve their flexibility, says Visionworks USA. While sitting at your desk, move your gaze around the room, allowing your eyes to trace the outlines of the objects they come across, such as computer screens, posters, chairs and people. Try to keep the movement fluid and your eyes relaxed---avoid squinting or jerking.
Clock-watching Exercise
This is another scanning exercise, using shorter, sharper movements to re-energize your eyes and build muscle strength. It requires you to imagine you are looking at a big clock or, if there's one nearby, you can use a real clock, says eye-strain.org. Look at the center of the clock, then out to any of the hour markings, back to the centre then to another hour mark until you've covered all 12 hour points. Make the movements quick but smooth and avoid moving your head when you shift your gaze.
Focus-shifting Exercise
Staring at one point a fixed distance away from you for any length of time means your focus doesn't change. This can cause eye strain symptoms such as blurred vision and burning eyes, says Visionworks USA. One way to prevent or treat this is to make a point of continually changing your focus throughout the day. Pick an object on the far side of the room and one that's closer to you then slowly shift your gaze between the two for up to a minute. Look at each object for a couple of seconds and make sure the two points you select are on the same eyeline, eye-strain.org recommends.
