Are Your Headaches Caused by Eyestrain?

Do you experience headaches on a regular basis? It can be frustrating to deal with pain all the time, especially if you don’t know the cause of the pain. If you are dealing with regular headaches, then you might consider the benefits of talking with an eye doctor in Chicago. Certain types of eye problems can lead to headaches, which means that treating those vision problems will naturally reduce the pain.

What is Eyestrain?

If your eye muscles are working harder than usual, then you might experience eye strain. Sometimes it is hard to diagnose that you are experiencing strain, but you can watch for a few signs and symptoms that your eyes are working harder than necessary.

The most common symptoms of eye strain are achy, tired eyes. When the eyestrain is left untreated, it
could potentially lead to other symptoms such as headaches and blurry vision.

Eyestrain and Headaches

When eyestrain is present, and you are also experiencing headaches, then the cause is typically one of these eye conditions:

– Nearsightedness (Myopia)
– Farsightedness (Hyperopia)
– Astigmatism

It’s not guaranteed that these are the causes of your headaches and eyestrain, but these eye conditions are often associated with these symptoms. If you are experiencing headaches, then one of the best things that you can do is talk with an experienced optometrist to determine if your eyes are the cause of the headaches.

Eyestrain is similar to other types of muscle fatigue that you might experience. For example, if you exercise and have sore, tired muscles after the workout, then it takes time for the muscles to recover before you start feeling better again. In the same way, it is necessary to care for your eyes, or else they will become tired and fatigued because they are overworking.

Wearing Glasses and Contact Lenses

Glasses and contact lenses can help to correct your vision and reduce the headaches that you have been
experiencing. But, these lenses only work if you wear them consistently. If you have been told that you
need to wear glasses or contacts, and you don’t wear the lenses as instructed, then you might
experience an increase in headaches and pain.

Also, keep in mind that it is possible for your prescription to change over time. In this situation, you might be consistent with wearing your lenses, but you are still experiencing the headaches. It is necessary to visit the eye doctor for a checkup to see if you need new lenses to accommodate your changing eyes.

Adjusting Your Environment

There are other factors that might impact your eye strain, so you should also consider your daily habits to determine if they are leading to the symptoms that you are experiencing. One common cause of eye strain is staring at a screen for too long without giving the eyes a break. If you are looking at a computer screen, then it is important to make sure to look up on a regular basis to let your eyes focus on something else. Make sure that you have good lighting in the room to avoid looking at a bright screen in a dark area.

Are you experiencing regular headaches? Schedule an appointment with an optometrist in Chicago. Call Village Eyecare for more information.