occhi stanchi

Tired eyes and dry eyes: the causes and what good habits can help us

It happens to us when we drive for a long time in the car, when we spend hours in front of the computer or television screen, or when we read for a long time, perhaps with little light: the sensation that our eyes are tiredwith symptoms such as itching and dryness, is very common especially since smartphones entered our lives. They are there however many other causes which can lead to eye tiredness, for example staring at objects very close or very far away for a long time, or insufficient tear production. The most effective remedies range from rest to eye drops, but it is important to understand when this is appropriate contact your doctor.

The causes of tired eyes

When we look at close or distant objects our eyes perform a process called “accommodation”, i.e modification of the thickness of the lens (the lens of our eye) through the action of ciliary muscle. This process happens autonomously and allows you to adjust the focus distance, allowing us to adapt our gaze to near or far vision.

human eye section
Section of the human eye. The lens is deformed by the ciliary muscle to accommodate the focusing of near and far objects.

Looking at very close or distant objects for a long time can therefore tax our ciliary muscle. In fact, like any muscle, even the ciliary can remain weakened from an activity continued for a long time. This is one of the main reasons why we feel tired after a long time spent looking at something very close or very far away. Another cause of fatigue is specifically related to the use of computers and smartphones. In fact, screens seem to reduce the frequency of our blinking, leading to insufficient humidification of the eye resulting in dryness and tiredness.

Let’s remember that our eyes are constantly lubricated and hydrated by tears (not just when we cry!) which are essential to protect our eyes from irritation. The eyelids then, in addition to protecting the eyes from external bodies and intense light, distribute the tear film on the eye, avoiding the creation of too dry areas. When we blink too little, like in front of screens, it is easy for the tear film to become too thin, evaporating easily.

Other elements that contribute to the tiredness of the eyes that result from their dryness are, unbeknownst to many, fans and air conditioners. The former are in fact able to significantly accelerate the evaporation of the tear film and bring particulate matter to the eyes if they emit a jet very close to the face. The latter, however, act indirectly, reducing the humidity of the air and consequently facilitating the dehydration of the eyes.

How to recognize and soothe eye fatigue

Tired eyes can be recognized because we perceive slight and transient blurring of visionlight itching And dryness or excessive tearing. These symptoms often appear in conjunction with a mild ache head or sense of heaviness in the center of the forehead. But what to do when these symptoms appear?

A good habit that has shown excellent results if practiced continuously is precisely that of take breaks from activity which is straining our eyes. In particular, the effectiveness of the product has been observed against screen fatigue “rule 20-20-20”. This recommends moving your gaze after 20 minutes of concentration to something 20 feet away (about 6 meters) for at least 20 seconds. We also remember that if we are in front of our computer we should ideally maintain it a distance at least equal to our outstretched arm and find ourselves, preferably, with the center of the screen slightly lower than our line of vision.

In addition to these good practices, you can rest your eyes by closing them and relaxing, perhaps using a damp cloth with warm water to be placed on closed eyelids. Rest from activity, protection of the eyelids and drops of water will promote greater relaxation of the eye, also contributing to its cleanliness.

Instead, we must avoid rubbing your eyesespecially with hands that are not thoroughly clean. If it’s a bad idea in general, it becomes bad when you have tired eyes, as you risk irritate them further and introduce dirt and foreign bodies.

Together with these remedies you can certainly use the so-called “artificial tears”, hydrating drops with a formula designed to benefit our eyes. However, it is not recommended to purposely drop drops of tap water: tears have a different composition than running water.

If after these precautions and a few nights’ sleep the problem persists, it may be necessary to contact your doctor. In particular, blurred vision is a symptom to keep under control when it doesn’t disappear in a few dayspotentially underlying neurological and infectious problems, among others.

In general, eye strain is very common and should not cause concern. However, when symptoms persist despite good habits and remedies, it is advisable to contact a doctor.