After using a computer or smartphone for a long time,
“My eyes are tired.”
Have you ever felt that way?
In fact, “tired eyes” and “eye strain” may seem similar, but they are different conditions.
Tired eyes are a temporary fatigue caused by overusing your eyes, and they are generally said to recover with a break or a good night’s sleep.
Eye strain, on the other hand, refers to a condition in which symptoms are hard to relieve even with rest and begin to affect daily life.
Eye strain isn’t just a problem with the eyes
With eye strain, you may experience a variety of symptoms beyond the eyes, such as:
• Pain behind the eyes
• Blurry vision
• Bloodshot eyes
• Headaches
• Neck and shoulder stiffness
• Reduced focus
• Nausea
and more.
This is because the muscles that move the eyes and the muscles of the neck and shoulders stay tense for long periods, and poor posture also plays a part.
That is why, in many cases, simply using eye drops or closing your eyes for a rest isn’t enough to bring real relief.
Eye strain is on the rise today
In recent years, with desk work and the spread of smartphones, more and more people spend much of the day looking at screens up close.
Focusing at close range keeps the muscles that adjust the eye’s focus constantly tense, and staying in the same position also puts strain on the neck and shoulders.
As a result, this can lead not only to tired eyes but also to discomfort such as headaches and neck and shoulder stiffness.
“My eyes get tired more easily these days.”
“It’s not just my eyes; my neck and shoulders hurt too.”
If that sounds familiar, you may be dealing with eye strain rather than simply tired eyes.
What we value at La HEAD
At La HEAD, drawing on years of hands-on experience and knowledge of the body gained at an osteopathic clinic, we treat not only the head but also the neck, shoulders, back of the head and arms.
Because eye strain is not just an eye problem and is often closely tied to tension in the neck and shoulders, we make a point of carefully working on the related areas as well.
Our guests have told us things like:
“My eyes feel like they open more easily.”
“My head feels lighter.”
“My vision feels clearer.”
We are grateful to hear comments like these.
*How treatments feel and their effects vary from person to person.
Don’t dismiss it as “just tired eyes”
Tired eyes often improve with rest, but eye strain left unaddressed can lead to chronic discomfort.
If you find that:
• Your eye fatigue doesn’t go away even after resting
• Headaches and neck and shoulder stiffness also persist
• You spend long hours on a computer or smartphone
why not take a look not only at your eyes but also at the condition of your neck and shoulders?
Your eyes work hard every day, so let’s keep them comfortable with regular care.