Eye Strain Vision Therapy Exercises to Try at Home
Do you suffer from headaches, blurry vision, dry eyes, neck pain, shoulder pain, burning eyes, or tearing? These are all symptoms of eye strain, one of the most common causes of vision problems. About two-thirds of U.S. adults spend five or more hours every day on some type of digital device, and the average American worker spends upwards of seven hours each workday looking at a computer screen.
Digital devices and computer screens are major causes of eye strain because the angles and viewing distances of the screen may cause us to sit in uncomfortable ways or focus at uncomfortable distances. In addition, reading screens is often more difficult for our eyes than reading a printed page. It's estimated that roughly half of all regular computer users report some level of eye strain. Eye strain can be a real pain in the neck, but treating it is very straightforward. There are a few vision therapy exercises that you can do from the comfort of your own home that have been shown to reduce the symptoms of eye strain. Read on to discover professional techniques for treating eye strain with vision therapy from the eye doctors of Clarkson Eyecare.
Visit the Eye Care Experts of Clarkson Eyecare
Before you start any kind of vision therapy exercises, it’s important to get a professional diagnosis from an eye doctor. The eye care experts at Clarkson Eyecare use the latest in vision technology to diagnose and treat all sorts of eye conditions. Schedule a consultation with one of our hundreds of eye doctors located across 11 different states, including Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida. We’ll work with you to create a treatment plan that’s a perfect fit for your unique eye care needs, including vision therapy. Call or click to schedule an appointment at your nearest Clarkson Eyecare today!
Eye Exercises to Try at Home
Vision therapy exercises are believed to help improve several vision problems and visual skills. There is some evidence that exercises can help improve visual accuracy and reaction times. If you’ve been diagnosed with eye strain, consider doing the following for symptom relief.
Exercises for Eye Comfort
If you’ve been staring at a screen for a while, you can give your eyes a much-needed break and a little TLC with some simple exercises. There are several ways you can take a minute to improve your eye comfort, such as:
Blinking or yawning to produce tears and moisten eyes.
Looking away from your digital screen toward a source of natural light.
Move Your Eyes
Moving your eyes may not seem like exercise, but if you spend a lot of time focusing on one point — especially a digital screen — simple movements in another direction can do a lot for your eyes. Here is an example of an eye movement exercise to try.
Close your eyes.
Move your eyes slowly upward toward the ceiling and then down toward the floor.
Repeat step two, three times.
Close your eyes again.
Slowly move your gaze to the left and then to the right.
Repeat step five, three times.
Refocus Your Eyes
When you spend a lot of time focusing on one object, taking some time to focus on an object in another area — particularly one at a different distance or angle — is helpful. Follow the steps below for a simple refocusing exercise.
Hold a finger a few inches away from your eye and focus your gaze on it.
Slowly move your finger away.
Move your focus far into the distance beyond your finger, and then return your gaze to your finger.
Move your finger slowly back to within a few inches of your eye.
Move your focus to something more than eight feet away.
Repeat this exercise three times.
Take a Break
While rest is usually the opposite of exercise, it is actually a great way to work your eyes. Vision rest can give your eyes a break from screens and provide an opportunity for movement and refocusing. Many experts recommend the “20/20/20 rule”: after every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something at least 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds. These vision therapy exercises may help you reduce your eye strain symptoms, but they are not a cure-all for your vision problems. To find out if vision therapy may be right for you, talk to your doctor.
Our expert team at Clarkson Eyecare is here to help you on your eye care journey. We have locations in 11 states, including Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida. No matter where you are, quality eye care and comprehensive eye exams are never far away!
Not only can you get sunglasses from Clarkson Eyecare, but you can also invest in prescription sunglasses from us. With prescription sunglass lenses, you can improve your vision, protect your eyes, and make a fashion statement simultaneously.
Schedule an Appointment at Clarkson Eyecare
Whether it’s reducing eye strain, or finding a new pair of eyeglasses, Clarkson Eyecare is here for you. Book an eye exam with one of our doctors today and begin your journey to better eye health.