Eyestrain Headache

Can strain on the eyes cause an ache in your head? Majority of the people today work on computers during their office hours and come home only to expose their eyes again to the television screen, therefore, it is but natural, that the eyes get strained.

Just as any other part of our body needs rest after it has been used for a long time, our eyes need rest too. And when they do not get sufficient rest, people experience an eyestrain headache.

An eyestrain can be defined as any discomfort or pain that is felt around the eyes, forehead, or the temple. Eyestrain headaches can be easily distinguished from other forms of headache, from the fact that its symptoms become severe whenever a person is engaged in visual tasks, such as reading, working on computers, and watching television. Below are the most common symptoms.

• They are mostly experienced just above the eyebrows. The pain may range from mild to severe.
• The pain is accompanied by symptoms, such as watery eyes, hazy vision, redness in the eyes, a burning sensation, and itching in the eyes.
• Sometimes, the eyes may feel dry and may become sore and scratchy.
• The symptoms may be accompanied by pain in the neck and the back.

• These aches are felt by certain people as a kind of heaviness behind the eyelids and the forehead.
• Spasms and eye twitching in the eye area, droopy eyelids, increased sensitivity to light are some of the other symptoms.

For proper treatment, it is important to diagnose the cause. So, getting the eyes tested by an ophthalmologist is the first step that you should take. The doctor will be able to determine whether you are suffering from any eye disease or do you need spectacles, as either of these can be the possible causes.

Once the cause has been diagnosed, corrective measures can be taken as advised by the doctor. Meanwhile, for relief, following measures can be taken.

• When working on computers or watching television, take regular breaks in between to rest the eye muscles.
• Keep the computer screen or television at an appropriate distance, they should not be kept very close to the eyes.
• To avoid dry eyes, keep the upper end of the computer or television screen a little below the eye level.

• To relieve yourself of eye twitching and headaches, when watching television or working on a computer, make sure that the room lighting is not as bright as the screen. Ideally, it should be fifty percent lighter than the screen.

• Perform exercises, such as rolling the eyes, blinking continuously, and squeezing them tightly from time to time to strengthen the eye muscles and also to relax them.
• You may take a painkiller if the ache is really severe and use eye drops to soothe the eyes.

Eyestrain headaches, which are not due to any eye problem, can be avoided by following the above mentioned measures and by indulging in regular eye care. To keep the eyes in the best of health, eating a balanced diet, which is especially rich in vitamin A is a must.

Protecting the eyes from the harmful effects of the ultra violet rays of the sun by wearing sunglasses, and sleeping everyday for 7-8 hours will help in providing relief too.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.