Four Homemade Remedies for Eyestrain

You've been reading this great book for three hours straight. Now, your eyes feel dry, watery, and irritated. Your vision is starting to blur. Your neck hurts. And your head is pounding.

You have eyestrain, the result of your eyes doing one thing for too long. And reading isn't the only thing that can cause it. Watching television, staring at a computer monitor, drawing, and doing crafts like needlepoint can all cause eyestrain.

If you suffer from frequent eyestrain, you should have your eyes checked. Not wearing glasses when you need them, or having the wrong prescription, are common causes of eyestrain.

Once you've had your eyes checked, and you know your eyestrain isn't caused by a need for glasses, here are some things you can try to find relief for your tired, overworked eyes.

Close your eyes.

You might not be feeling the effects of eyestrain yet. But, if you've been looking at the same thing for more than an hour, you will soon enough.

Give your poor eyes a break. Every thirty to sixty minutes, stop whatever you're doing (whether you're reading a book or writing a report) and close your eyes for two to five minutes. If you're watching a television show, close your eyes during the commercial breaks. These brief rest periods should be enough to ward off eyestrain.

Look at something else.

If you're starting to suffer some of the symptoms of eyestrain, it could mean you've been forcing your eyes to focus on one thing for too long. So take a break and look at something else for a few minutes.

If you're outside, focus on the ball in the park across the street, or look at the billboard down the block. If you're inside, look at the poster across the room, or the tree outside the window.

A change of pace might be all you need to relieve eyestrain.

Blink.

When people are really concentrating on something, they tend to blink less. Which could actually contribute to eyestrain.

So whether you're working on the computer, reading the newspaper, or doing needlepoint, make a conscious effort to blink often. If your eyes already feel tired or strained, a few rapid blinks can work wonders.

Sometimes, a short break isn't enough.

Sometimes, the only thing you can do to relieve eyestrain is to stop.

Put the book down. Step away from the computer. Pack up your crafting supplies. Unless you are on some kind of deadline, and absolutely have to finish whatever you're doing by a certain time, stop. You might not want to stop. (We all know how hard it can be to put a good book down.) But, if you don't, you're pain and discomfort will just get worse. So, stop what you're doing for now, and do something that won't be too stressful on your eyes.

Eyestrain is a condition we often bring on ourselves. But, by keeping these simple tips in mind, you can relieve the discomfort of eyestrain, or even prevent eyestrain altogether.