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Symptoms that might suggest problems
Other symptoms during or after reading can suggest you need to get your eyes checked. These include eyestrain, headaches, fatigue, watery or uncomfortable eyes, excessive blinking, and trouble seeing long distances after reading.
Further symptoms that may suggest eye problems include:
- Your eyes have trouble adjusting to dark rooms.
- You have high sensitivity to light or glare, with excessive squinting or blinking.
- The color of your iris changes.
- You have pain reoccurring in or around your eyes.
- Your eyelids are red or swollen.
- You have double vision, or see spots and ghostlike images.
- A dark spot obscures your central vision.
- You have dry eyes which itch or burn.
The following symptoms may suggest you should seek emergency medical attention:
- You have a sudden loss of vision in one eye.
- You have a sudden hazy or blurred vision.
- You have flashes of light or dark spots.
- You get halos or rainbows around light.
- You get a curtain-like blotting out of vision.
- You lose peripheral (side) vision.
Tips for protecting your eyesight
Your eyesight is important. Here are some ways you can protect your eyesight.
- Take frequent breaks. Take frequent breaks during up close work. Follow the 20/20/20 guideline. For every 20 minutes of up close work, spend at least 20 seconds looking at something more than 20 feet (6 meters) away. Every hour get up and move around.
- Get your eyes checked regularly. See a specialist regularly to have your eyesight checked. Once every 18 months is a good target, more if you are over 40 or in higher risk groups (e.g. there is family history, you have diabetes, you smoke, or you are of African-American descent). Ask your specialist to make sure your prescription lenses are not stronger or weaker than necessary. Recent research suggests both can cause further problems.
- Eat well. Scientists have proven that a diet high in fruit and vegetables (especially green vegetables) reduces the risk of macular generation. Avoid highly refined foods, especially for children.
- Stay fit and healthy. Exercise regularly as this helps keep good blood flow to the eyes. Studies have also shown that children who play sport have a lower incidence of eye problems.
- Don't smoke. Simple.
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