Headache, aching around the eyes, blurred vision, inability to focus, sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. For working adults who need to concentrate in front of screens or large stacks of documents for long periods, these symptoms may occur. The cause is due to the muscles around and inside the eyes cramping because of prolonged use of the eyes without rest.
Guidelines for managing aching around the eyes
If the above symptoms occur, rest your eyes. When you need to use your eyes again, use them for about 30 minutes and then close your eyes to rest for 5 minutes. In cases of using large computer screens, reading books, or watching TV, if you need to look at a small mobile screen, use your eyes for 10 minutes and then close your eyes to rest for 5 minutes before using your eyes again alternately.
Treatment approach… if symptoms are severe
If initial self-treatment does not improve the condition, you should see an ophthalmologist for further treatment. Generally, ophthalmologists provide two types of treatment: medication to take and eye drops to try first, or in cases where the patient wants quick relief, eye drops to relax the eye muscles by dilating the pupils. After that, the patient will have blurred vision for 4 – 6 hours and will not be able to drive or work.
Abnormal signs… that require urgent medical attention
- Frequent eye irritation and burning that does not improve with artificial tears. In this case, an ophthalmologist should examine the eyes first because the cause is often due to eye allergies. Treatment is not complicated; using anti-allergy eye drops will gradually improve the symptoms.
- Seeing shadows or black spots floating around, like mosquitoes flying or fog drifting, or flashing lights or sparks in the eyes. This suggests vitreous opacity. If these symptoms occur, an ophthalmologist should dilate the pupils and examine the inside of the eyes thoroughly because these symptoms can lead to retinal tears and detachment, eventually causing blindness. Early treatment makes the process less complicated.
