- Blurred or double vision
- Watery eyes
- Dry eyes
- Soreness, tiredness, burning or itching
- Headache
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Difficulty focusing
How can you prevent putting excess strain on your eyes as you feast on a good book? Here are a few tips to help:
- When reading, have a light source behind you so that light is being directed onto the page. If you are reading at a desk, use a lamp with a shade. The shade will prevent the light from shining into your eyes.
- If you have reduced vision, use a brighter light source.
- Consider a large-print book if words appear too small on the page.
- Take regular breaks. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away from your book and look at an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Walk around for a while and give your eyes a rest.
- Blink often to moisten your eyes. Dry eye can result when staring at an object for too long.
- Use artificial tears to add moisture to the eyes.