Tired or poor eyesight

If you’re suffering from tired eyes or poor eyesight, this could be down to a range of things. For example, you may be experiencing tired eyes due to the effects of prolonged screen use, insufficient sleep, or even dehydration. On the other hand, poor eyesight may be due to refractive errors, genetics or medical conditions.

Causes of tired eyes

There are many reasons why one may experience tired eyes. This includes:

Prolonged screen time

Excessive use of digital devices such as laptops and mobile phones can cause tiredness in the eyes, as well as other health concerns such as:

• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty focusing

Experts recommend limiting recreational screen time to less than two hours a day, and even less for children.

Insufficient sleep

A common cause of tired eyes is not getting enough sleep. A study published by the National Library of Medicine found that sleep deprivation in both men and women was related to having more hanging eyelids, redder eyes, more swollen eyes, darker circles under the eyes and more wrinkles/lines around the eyes.

Dehydration

When the eyes are not properly lubricated, they may become tired, leading to blurred vision and/or fatigue. Drinking plenty of water will help flush out additional salt within the body and properly hydrate your eyes to help reduce tired eyes.

Causes of poor eyesight

The causes of poor eyesight are likely to differ from the causes of tired eyes. Poor eyesight is generally caused by the following:

Refractive errors

One of the most common causes of poor eyesight is refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

Age-related changes

With age, many people will experience changes in their eyesight. For example, those who are above the age of 40 usually begin to develop presbyopia, which is when vision becomes blurry when trying to focus on close-up objects.

Medical conditions

Some medical conditions may affect eyesight. For example, those with diabetes should have their eyes tested more often than those without, as diabetes can damage the eyes if left untreated but may not present any warning signs.

Genetics

If one or both of your parents have poor eyesight, there is a possibility that this may be inherited. However, this is not always the case.

Symptoms of tired and poor eyesight

You may be able to tell whether you’re experiencing tired eyes or poor eyesight based on the symptoms. Tired eyes will usually cause the following symptoms:

• Itchiness
• Redness
• Dryness
• Burning sensation

On the other hand, those who are suffering from poor eyesight usually report blurred vision, double vision, difficulty focusing, and/or headaches. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to consult with your optician, as they will be able to provide tailored advice.

How to prevent and treat tired eyes and poor eyesight

Tired eyes are caused by factors such as lack of sleep, too much screen time and dehydration. Therefore, you can reduce the chance of developing tired eyes and improve symptoms by implementing the following into your daily routine:

• Limit screen time
• Take regular screen breaks
• Get an adequate amount of sleep
• Eat a balanced diet
• Use eye drops for dry, itchy eyes

Whilst genetic or age-related vision issues cannot be prevented, it is still important to incorporate the above to delay the onset of further vision problems, and to get your eyes tested at least every two years.