
Headaches, which are frequently encountered in daily life, are often directly related to eye health. Many people think that headaches are only caused by general reasons such as fatigue, stress or migraine. However, headaches related to eye health are often overlooked and this can seriously negatively affect the quality of life of many individuals.
What is this mysterious connection between headaches and eye health and how can it be prevented? Let's learn the answer to this question from Çağın Eye Hospital Ophthalmology Specialist Op. Dr. Kürşat Çağın.
Headaches, when related to eye health, are usually caused by strain and discomfort in the eyes. Eye health includes many different conditions that can affect vision functions. These conditions can lead to overactivity of the eye muscles, visual focusing problems, or increased pressure inside the eye. Problems with eye health can trigger headaches, which can put both physical and psychological pressure on the person. Here are some conditions that can have a strong relationship between your eye health and headaches:
1. Visual impairments
Vision disorders such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism occur when the eye cannot focus light correctly. The eye makes more effort to perceive images correctly. This constant effort causes the eye muscles to work excessively and can cause headaches. This situation can be seen more frequently in people who do not use glasses or lenses or who use the wrong prescription.
2. Using the wrong glasses or lenses
If you wear glasses or contact lenses, it is very important to use the correct prescription. Incorrect prescription glasses or incorrect lens selection will cause the eye to constantly try to focus. This can cause strain on the eye muscles and cause headaches. Also, improper fitting or care of lenses can cause discomfort in the eye, which can lead to headaches.
3. Eye strain (digital eye strain)
With technology integrating into every aspect of our lives, looking at screens like computers, tablets, and phones for long periods of time can cause eye muscle fatigue. Screens force our eyes to focus constantly, which can lead to eye strain. Digital eye strain usually manifests itself with headaches felt in the forehead and temples. It can also be accompanied by discomfort such as dry eyes, blurred vision, or stinging in the eyes.
4. Eye pressure (glaucoma)
Higher than normal intraocular pressure can lead to a condition called glaucoma. Glaucoma can cause a feeling of pressure in the eye, vision loss and headaches. Since this disease often does not show any symptoms, early diagnosis is very important. As intraocular pressure increases, permanent damage to the optic nerves can occur, which can lead to permanent vision loss in the future. Headaches, especially when combined with a feeling of intense pressure around the eyes, can be a sign of glaucoma and an eye doctor should be consulted immediately.
5- Convergence insufficiency
Convergence insufficiency is a condition in which the eye muscles, particularly the medial rectus muscle, do not contract as effectively as they should when focusing on objects at close range. Normally, the eyes naturally move closer together when focusing on an object at close range. However, in people with convergence insufficiency, these muscles do not work strongly enough and the eyes do not remain parallel. This leads to symptoms such as blurred vision, eye strain, and headaches, especially when trying to focus at close range. Headaches can result from strain and fatigue in the eyes due to the eye muscles not working properly and are usually more pronounced after activities that require long periods of close focus.
6-Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the inability to see objects clearly at a distance due to aging. Although this condition has similar symptoms to hyperopia, the causes of the two conditions are different. In hyperopia, the distance between the front of the eye (cornea) and the back of the eye (retina) is short, or the lens of the eye is flattened, and this is usually a genetic condition. Presbyopia occurs when the flexibility of the lens of the eye decreases with age. This loss of flexibility makes it difficult for people to focus on objects that are close. Symptoms of presbyopia include headaches, pain caused by strain on the eyes, especially when reading or doing detailed work up close, tired eyes, a general feeling of exhaustion, and blurred vision at close range. Activities that require long periods of focusing up close can cause headaches to become even worse.
Take care of your eye health to prevent headaches
Understanding the relationship between your eye health and headaches and taking some simple but effective measures to prevent headaches can help you prevent them. Here are some tips to help you protect your eye health and prevent headaches:
1. Get regular eye exams
Early detection of vision problems, eye diseases, and other eye conditions can help prevent headaches. Visiting an eye doctor at least once a year and getting regular eye exams is essential to detecting potential problems early. This prevents overstrain of the eye muscles and can prevent headaches.
2. Limit screen time
In the modern world, digital devices have become a part of every aspect of our lives. Our eyes can get tired when we use computers, phones, and tablets for hours. That’s why it’s important to limit the time you spend in front of a screen. You can give your eyes a break by following the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, you can relax your eye muscles by looking 20 meters away for 20 seconds.
3. Choosing the right glasses and lenses
If you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to use the correct prescription determined by your eye doctor. Wearing glasses or contact lenses with the wrong prescription can cause unnecessary strain on the eye muscles and headaches. You should also clean your lenses properly every day and wear them correctly.
4. Adjust the light properly
Pay attention to the lighting in your work or reading areas so that your eyes can work comfortably. Working for long periods in poor light can strain your eyes and cause headaches. Ideally, it is important to provide a sufficient light source that does not strain your eyes. At the same time, try to avoid excessive glare on screens.
When should you see a doctor?
If your headaches are frequent and accompanied by symptoms such as stinging in the eyes, blurred vision, redness in the eyes, and sensitivity to light, you may need to see an eye doctor. Increased intraocular pressure, in particular, can be a symptom of serious diseases such as glaucoma and requires rapid intervention. If you suspect that the source of your headaches may be related to eye health, it is very important not to neglect it and to consult a specialist doctor.
Take precautions to protect your eyes and health
Not ignoring this important link between headaches and eye health can not only improve your quality of life, but can also help prevent more serious health problems. To protect your eye health, get regular eye exams, limit screen time, and make sure you wear the right glasses or contacts. Healthy eyes are the foundation of a healthy life.