How can you help your clients deal with eye strain?

Eye fatigue can quickly become very debilitating. But it is especially difficult to diagnose since its symptoms do not always make it possible to make the link with vision. We try to dissect them in order to help you provide the best advice to your customers.

Eye fatigue: various symptoms

Suffering from eyestrain is not trivial, especially because it is often thought that it is only due to a little overwork. But symptoms, like causes and consequences, are not always the same for everyone. Symptoms can affect vision directly, but not only. And the problem is that they sometimes don't seem disabling enough to stop any activity that would cause them. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the symptoms identified:

• severe fatigue
• irritated or red eyes
• tingling
• burning sensation in the eyes
• frequent headaches
• eyelid tremor
• double vision feeling
• eye pain
• blurred vision
• accommodation difficulty
• painful glare
• dry eye episodes

Eye fatigue: causes and solutions?

If one of these symptoms is felt, it is necessary to ask the right questions, and in particular to trace the activities that may have led to it. We know that the time we spend in front of our screens is problematic in our largely dependent societies. There are many causes of fatigue. In addition to the use of screens, the brightness can be dangerous. Suggest that your customers check their prescription or their sunglasses.

Working conditions are a good indicator of potential causes. Eyestrain isn't just for those who work in front of screens. Indeed, some workers may tend to neglect safety equipment. This may also be the case for individuals who do DIY at home . Those working in heavily air-conditioned offices or warehouses may also be impacted.

Sport is also an activity that requires suitable equipment . Intensive practice, with the hazards it contains (wind, etc.), is often overlooked as a potential cause of eye fatigue. Finally, certain vision defects, such as cataracts, astigmatism or myopia can favor the onset of symptoms.

Of course, you cannot ask your clients to work less. But it is advisable to sensitize them as well as possible, first of all on the need to rest their eyes through some eye exercises or by breaks. But, as an optician, you benefit from a whole range of equipment that helps support and protect vision. An example of this are blue light blocking glasses or lenses. In the field of sport, photochromic lenses allow optimized practice so as not to take any risks. It's also a good way to build customer loyalty.