It’s important to listen to your body so you can maintain good health. Most aches and pains are a sign of muscle strain or inflammation, and these aren’t anything to be overly concerned about. They are usually resolved by taking some anti-inflammatory tablets and/or rest. However, you must make sure you’re paying attention to the entirety of your body, not just your joints. Your eyes, for example, are areas where a lot of people might ignore signs of problems, but this can lead to more significant issues that could affect your lifestyle more than you might think. Below are some signs that your eyes are struggling and that you should see an optician as soon as possible.
Headaches
Headaches can be a sign of many things, and most of the time, it’ll be likely due to dehydration or because you’re tired. If you are noticing that your headaches are getting more frequent and feel as though the tension is forming behind your eyes, it could be an indication that your eyesight is strained. People who work with computers a lot might have noticed this, and you can get blue light glasses that help ease the glare from your screen, which might be enough to stop the issue. If not, you should get an eye test to rule out whether or not you need glasses.
Blurred and/or Cloudy Vision
This is another clear sign that your eyes are under strain and can cause serious problems if you don’t get them treated. Blurred vision is not only frustrating, but you can be at greater risk when you drive a car or want to cross the road, or even something as simple as meal preparation if it gets bad enough. It can also be a sign of cataracts which is a more severe eye problem that should not be left untreated. Your optician will be able to discuss with you the different treatment options if this is the case and even offer you special cataract lenses if this is something you’re interested in.
Auras
You might have started to notice that objects appear to have a glow or aura around them when you look at them. This might often be paired with horrible migraines which are referred to as ocular migraines. It’s important to get your eyes tested and speak to a doctor if you are having this experience, as you might need more than just glasses to treat the issue. You might not even need glasses at all, but rather looking at a change in your lifestyle or taking medications to control your blood pressure.
Squinting
If you have noticed that you’re starting to squint more to read words either close up or far away, your eyes might not be as strong as they used to be. This is quite a common thing to happen as people age, but the sooner you get glasses or contact lenses, the easier it will be for you to focus on text and objects, and it could help you to avoid the situation getting worse.
Make sure you pay attention to these signs if you experience them and see an optician as soon as possible for an eye test.
Main Photo by Josh Sorenson.