When your alarm goes off in the morning, your eyes open and go right to work. And they keep at it every hour of the day, until after your head returns to your pillow again. They are workhorses that pull  epic daily shifts. And the unfortunate result is often eye strain.

Eye strain is a common condition that happens when your eyes get tired from intense use. Our eyes need breaks from all that staring, scrolling, reading, and scanning they do. 

When your eyes don’t get enough rest, it impacts their ability to do their job — and it can bring you discomfort, says Mollie Veteto, O.D., an optometrist who practices at America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses in Nashville. 

These days, the most likely culprit is screen time. Eyeballs glued to mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and e-readers can fatigue them. In fact, the American Optometric Association created a special category for it: digital eye strain, which you may also see referred to as computer vision syndrome. 

Beyond our modern devices, eye strain can also be caused by: 

• Driving long distances 
• Exposure to bright light or glare 
• Dry air from a fan, heating system, or an air conditioning unit 
• Underlying eye problems like dry eyes or uncorrected vision 

Find out more about the different eye strain symptoms and how you can give your eyes the rest they truly deserve.  

Has it been a while since your last eye exam? Now’s the time to book an appointment!  

What Are the Most Common Eye Strain Symptoms? 

Eye strain can start off with mild discomfort, but it can get worse if you don’t give your eyes periodic breaks, says Dr. Veteto. According to the Mayo Clinic, eye strain symptoms can include: 

• Sore, tired, burning, or itching eyes 
• Watery or dry eyes 
• Blurred or double vision 
• Headaches 
• A sore neck, shoulders, or back 
• Increased sensitivity to light 
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Feeling that you cannot keep your eyes open 

How Long Does Eye Strain Last? 

Eye strain can go on anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks. It depends on what caused the eye strain and if you’ve taken steps to relieve the discomfort.  

For example, if too much screen time is causing eye strain, it should ease within a few minutes of walking away from your phone or computer. But if you continue to stare at glowing screens in spite of your sore eyes, your eye strain can persist for much longer.  

How to Fix Eye Strain 

It’s not hard to fatigue our eyes in our modern world, but it’s not difficult to correct for that either. Try these seven easy ways to make your eyes more comfortable and safeguard your vision at the same time. 

1. Take screen breaks. One quick and easy way to reboot our eyes is to periodically look off into the distance. “Resetting our eyes from close-up to far off gives them a rest and helps reset our focus,” says Dr. Veteto. 

She recommends following the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes spent at a computer or device, turn your eyes toward something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds. 

Those mini breaks are great, but your eyes still need more time off, she adds. A few times a day, get up, take a walk, stretch, and do some deep breathing exercises. 

Ideally, those won’t be speed breaks. Eyes are muscles that need regular rest. The eye health experts at the University of Tennessee Medical Center recommend 30-minute breaks to fully restore your eyes. Like every muscle, they need regular rest.

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2. Put down your phone more often. If your eyes are regularly bothering you, it may be time to think about the relationship you have with your smartphone. If you think setting aside your device is like going without oxygen, the reality is nowhere near that dire. Your eyes would love you to go screen-free — at least part of the time.  

How do you work on doing that? Start by leaving your phone in another room every once in a while. Take those moments to look at something else — the sky, your loved ones’ faces, your favorite work of art. Just about anything else besides a television or your computer will give your eyes a welcome rest. 

Recommended reading: Do I Have Digital Eye Strain? Take Our Quiz and Find Out

3. Adjust your laptop settings. It’s also key to know how to prevent eye strain from a computer. One easy way is to bump up your text size and contrast until you find what feels best for your eyes.If you spend your days staring deeply into a computer screen, adjust your text size and contrast until you find what feels best for your eyes.

Dr. Veteto also suggests checking out apps that can help you remember to temporarily unplug. Some can even pause your computer work and remind you to take breaks. 

Beyond just eye strain, the University of Rochester Medical Center also suggests keeping your screen dust-free for eye comfort. Not only does that debris blur what you’re looking at, the dust itself is a potential irritant if it gets in your eyes. 

4. Use artificial tears. If you experience dry eyes when you have eye strain, you may need an assist from your local drug store.  There is an assortment of artificial tears and lubricting eye drops that are available there. 

There are also prescription options available if you need a bigger assist. Ask your optometrist about the best option for you at your next America’s Best eye exam. . 

5. Blink more often. It’s all too easy to fall into a wide-eyed trance as you stare at your smartphone or computer, but you must remember to blink!

It’s not easy to track your blink rate, but try to make it a conscious habit to close your eyes for a quick second every so often. Blinking, which coats your eye with a thin, fresh layer of moisture, combats the uncomfortable feeling of dry eye, an eye strain symptom.  

6. Rethink your interior lighting. When you are working at your desk or reading on the couch, you probably don’t need bright light shining directly into your face. Since bright lights and glare are a trigger for eye strain, using lower-level light whenever possible can help you avoid it. For paperwork, turn on the light behind you. 

7. Upgrade your eyewear. If you notice frequent eye strain, your eyeglasses or contact lenses may be the problem. Schedule an eye exam with your America’s Best eye doctor to find out if you need a new prescription.

It’s also the perfect time to ask whether any special eyewear could help. Glasses and contact lenses with anti-reflective and magnifying capabilities can cut down eye strain, says Dr. Veteto. 

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