The Reality of Eye Strain
Posted by Kimberley Jeffreys on
I hate summer. I really, really hate summer! There are several reasons- insects, unbearable heat, people shouting loudly and mowing their lawns at 8am… but eye strain is one of the worst aspects. Unfortunately, very few people understand what the experience of having severe eye strain is actually like. There seems to be an assumption that lying down in a dark room will magically make everything better. Perhaps for sighted folks this is enough, but not when you have a visual impairment.
Our eyes are moved around by six different muscles. Like other muscles, they become tired and painful when overused. So let's compare eye strain to going to the gym as a 9-5. On day one you'll probably be alright. But eight hours on the treadmill will make your legs feel dead. You'll stumble home with burning pains, flop onto the sofa and take a nap. Ten minutes WILL NOT be enough! Day 2- the alarm goes off and you can barely move. The soreness of the previous day will still be there. After working out for another eight hours the pain will be even worse than last time. With determination you'll probably power through into Friday. That's when everything goes downhill. Even an Olympic athlete wouldn't be able to maintain that level of physical exertion without adequate time off.
Being visually impaired means my eyes have to work so much harder than average. The muscle tension rarely goes away. I regularly get headaches, neck pain and a clenched jaw. On particularly bad days I experience migraines, complete with nausea and vomiting. Now add in the excruciating summer sunlight. It's a recipe for disaster.
If you have a visually impaired friend, please be kind and try to understand their circumstances. It can be easy to mask pain and discomfort when you've lived with it for such a long time. When someone openly complains about eye strain, there's a good chance they've already reached their limit. It's important to be flexible and work around everyone's needs.
I'm going to stay in my room, keep the curtains closed and wait for this awful heatwave to end. See you in autumn!