How do you relieve eye strain?
Tingling sensation in your eyes and headaches? Struggling to keep your eyes open? Eye strain is a common condition caused by intense focusing of the eyes during a task, such as during prolonged exposure to digital devices. This condition has become increasingly common since COVID-19, a period during which our reliance on phones and laptops has grown significantly. In this article, we will explore what eye strain is and provide practical steps to help prevent it.
What is eye strain? Causes and symptoms
Also known as Asthenopia, eye strain is linked to physical fatigue of the eye. It occurs when your eyes get tired from intense focus, such as while driving, reading for hours or staring at a screen.
Several distinct causes can lead to eye strain. But nowadays, most of the oxidative stress leading to eye fatigue is caused by prolonged exposure to screens as the radiated blue light can induce photoreceptor damage (1, 2, 3). Common symptoms are:
- Irritated or dry eyes
- Blurring of vision
- Headaches or sensibility to light
- Body pain, neck or shoulder pain.
Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce eye strain.
Practical tips to prevent eye strain
Whether in the form of energy drinks or supplements, consumption of caffeine seems to be the first option for people who want to avoid fatigue.
While caffeine can indeed make you feel more awake and energetic, it’s essential to be aware that its consumption can also lead to adverse effects, including heightened stress, anxiety, or tachycardia (4). It is advisable to reduce caffeine consumption and to explore these alternatives:
• Adapted equipment
To enhance your comfort, ensure you properly adjust screen settings like brightness and contrast on your digital devices. 60 to 70% contrast and brightness are usually recommended for reduced eye strain. The use of anti-blue light glasses or anti-blue light filters for screens is also recommended (5).
• Yoga ocular exercises
Practicing eye yoga is a good way of providing effective relief for your eyes and minimize eye fatigue symptoms by increasing the efficiency of extraocular muscles (6). Here is a simple exercise: sweep your eyes from left to right and then up and down, always going as far as you can. Do this exercise for a couple of minutes twice a day.
• Artificial tears
Using non-prescription artificial tears keeps your eyes moisturised and relieves eye irritation and dry eyes. If the symptoms of eye strain are causing major discomfort, see your eye doctor before getting any medication.
• Eye health supplements to relieve eye strain
Nutritional supplements rich in antioxidants can promote healthy visual function (7). We will explore a few options to consider in the next section.
Ingredients for maintaining eye health
1.Zinc is a crucial mineral with various vital functions in our body. One of the important nutritional effects of zinc is slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration (8), Оne of the leading causes of visual disability worldwide. Studies have demonstrated that zinc supplementation, when combined with other antioxidants, can suppress retinal degeneration.
2. Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is essential for maintaining proper nerve function and overall eye health. Thiamine is responsible for transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain. While there is limited direct evidence directly linking vitamin B1 to alleviating eye strain, its general benefits for nerve function may indirectly contribute to reducing eye discomfort (9). Adequate thiamine levels may help optimize nerve function, potentially reducing the likelihood or severity of eye strain (10).
3. Astaxanthin is a powerful carotenoid. It exerts its antioxidant properties in the ciliary muscle which controls focus in the eyes. Eye strain is usually present if this muscle is overworked by staring at a screen all day long. Astaxanthin works directly to relax the ciliary muscle and therefore reduce eye strain.
4. Anthocyanins are known to improve blood flow and concentration. Commonly present in red, blue, or purple fruits and vegetables, they contain a specific anthocyanin, Cyanidin-3-O-galactoside. This is also the main active ingredient of Brainberry®, the Aronia Melanocarpa extract researched and developed by BioActor. Clinical studies have validated this ingredient’s efficacy in improving focus and hand-eye coordination.
