CLOSE
MENU
Women sitting at a desk, rubbing her eyes
Women sitting at a desk, rubbing her eyes

Tired Eyes

Tired eye is another term for what is commonly known as eyestrain—when eyes feel achy, weak or heavy due to intense use. It is not a disease and does not require medical treatment—but it never hurts to know how to prevent it. Tired eyes can come from any number of activities and there are several preventative measures you can take to protect your eyes.

Some of the most common causes of tired eyes include:

  • Too little sleep
  • Allergies
  • Working on the computer for too long
  • Poor lighting conditions
  • Driving a car for prolonged periods of time
  • Reading or performing any other activity that may require the eyes to maintain intense focus for long periods of time

Signs of Tired Eyes:

  • Eye redness or irritation
  • Dry eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Back, neck and shoulder pain
  • Feeling of heaviness in eyes

Treatments for Tired Eyes

Tired eyes are an annoyance more than anything. If the following preventative measures don’t help, you may want to talk to your eye doctor. Sometimes, there is an underlying medical cause for eyestrain that requires additional treatment.

Man rubs his eyes looking tired
Man rubs his eyes looking tired
Man rubs his eyes looking tired

Tired eye is another term for what is commonly known as eyestrain—when eyes feel achy, weak or heavy due to intense use. It is not a disease and does not require medical treatment—but it never hurts to know how to prevent it. Tired eyes can come from any number of activities and there are several preventative measures you can take to protect your eyes.

Some of the most common causes of tired eyes include:

  • Too little sleep
  • Allergies
  • Working on the computer for too long
  • Poor lighting conditions
  • Driving a car for prolonged periods of time
  • Reading or performing any other activity that may require the eyes to maintain intense focus for long periods of time

Signs of Tired Eyes:

  • Eye redness or irritation
  • Dry eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Back, neck and shoulder pain
  • Feeling of heaviness in eyes

Treatments for Tired Eyes

Tired eyes are an annoyance more than anything. If the following preventative measures don’t help, you may want to talk to your eye doctor. Sometimes, there is an underlying medical cause for eyestrain that requires additional treatment.

Tips to Reduce Eyestrain:

  • Get enough sleep
  • Check your lighting: A high amount of contrast puts more strain on your eyes, so whether reading, watching TV or working, make sure you have the room lit evenly
  • Adjust the display settings (such as text size and contrast) on your computer or phone
  • Take regular breaks: Give yourself regular short breaks from near work tasks
  • Blink frequently and keep eyes lubricated
  • Ensure that your glasses or contact lens prescription is up to date
  • Get enough sleep
  • Check your lighting: A high amount of contrast puts more strain on your eyes, so whether reading, watching TV or working, make sure you have the room lit evenly
  • Adjust the display settings (such as text size and contrast) on your computer or phone
  • Take regular breaks: Give yourself regular short breaks from near work tasks
  • Blink frequently and keep eyes lubricated
  • Ensure that your glasses or contact lens prescription is up to date

Now, more than ever, we are prone to Digital Eyestrain (Computer Vision Syndrome), which can also be prevented and counteracted in several ways.

Related Content