Eye Strain: Why Do My Eyes Hurt?

As an eye doctor in Traverse City, I often see patients who tell me their eyes “hurt” or that they have “eye strain”. My job is to figure out what they actually mean. Eye strain can mean a variety of things, and a thorough exam with an eye doctor can help figure out what is going on and how to treat it. For instance, it may simply be that your glasses or contacts are no longer the correct power and you are squinting all the time!

The most common scenario for someone presenting with complaints of eye strain is that their eyes hurt or get blurry after doing something for an extended amount of time. The most common activities are looking at a smartphone, reading a book, or using a computer. When we perform focused tasks, we don’t blink as much. This can lead to the surface of the eyes getting dry (dry eye), which is often perceived as grittiness, burning, or eye strain.

To prevent or treat dry eye you can try a number of strategies. You may have heard of the 20-20-20 rule, which states that while performing a focused task, every 20 minutes you should stop and look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eye strain. Additionally, pay attention to your environment. For instance, make sure a fan or vent isn’t blowing directly on you. Using artificial tears or ointment a few times throughout the day can also go a long way towards preventing and/or treating dry eye. If these solutions don’t work, your next step should be to visit an eye doctor near you.

Check out this great article for more tips related to preventing eye strain: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-eye-strain