Hi! What are the signs of needing to get your eyes checked? Sometimes, my eyes hurt...like an ache. At times, it'll make me a little lightheaded. I like to read, and yesterday when I started reading my book...my eyes were slightly bothering me, and I read a little bit and then felt nausea. I had to stop reading at that point. I can see fine...nothing is blurry. I've always had 20/20 vision. I was wondering if maybe I have a little less than 20 in one eye or something. I don't know how all that works, of course...I was just trying to think of possibilities.
It'll cause a headache at times, too.
Also...if bright light shines in my eyes (car lights at night, for example), it seems like it takes my eyes a couple seconds longer than usual to recover from it.
It's also not a 24/7 thing...it comes and goes, but it happens pretty often.
Any ideas?

-AnimalAngel

Well should always get your eyes checked on a regular basis, suggested once a year.

Blurred vision is a top signal that there is a change in your eye-sight. Yet you state that you don't have that. However, since you do read a lot and have headaches, light-headiness, and difficulty with bright lights it is likely you simply have eye-strain. It's frequent amongst people who stare at computers a lot or do things that require close focusing of the eyes.

Symptoms of eyestrain may be:
Sore, tired, itchy, dry, or burning eyes
Headaches
Difficulty focusing between the VDT and source documents
Increased sensitivity to light

If that is all you have, then you can help alleviate the symptoms by using artifical tears to keep your eyes from drying out, and take frequent breaks where you focus your eyes on objects in the distance. Also use good light while reading. But I cannot stress enough the importance of getting regular eye exams and strongly suggest you see an eye doctor to discuss your issues listed here. Good luck!

The muscles that control the fine muscles in the eye tend to stretch out over time, thus minor adjustments say like pupil dilation slows and/or becomes imperfect. Ability to focus on print requires a lot of muscle tension in and around the eyes. Now days I just read for about 10-20 minutes then look at something far off for a minute or so. The muscles in the eye relax for far sight. I think it is something like 25 feet to infinity.

The more reading you do the more prone you are to over strain those fine muscles. With TV and Computer and other up close fine focus tasks for the eye one may be overworking those muscles.

From the pain I say that you are having muscle control issues - Eye Strain. Glasses may help relieve that.

If you have sinus issues (allergies, sinus infection, etc) these can be aggravating eye strain. Believe it or not your sinuses, nose, mouth and tear ducts are all interconnected. In cases of sinus issues there could be minor to moderate blockage of the tear ducts leading to inflammation (swelling) that can press against the eyes leading to minor deformation of the eye ball. No problem for far/infinite vision but close up reading/focusing can be more difficult leading to more eye strain also cutting down on the amount of tears that lubricate the eye leading to irritation, more blinking, more muscle use.

When you are focusing on the screen of the computer or print in a book, are you frowning? Are your eyebrows tightening for you to see the print clearly? That tension as well can lead to headaches.

Pupil dilation is being slowed (obvious by the longer time it takes for your eyes to adjust while driving at night). Glasses now come with glare coatings which go a long way to reduce the road glare. Depending on how bad it is getting you may need to seriously consider not driving at night. On our country two lane roads here I have taken to fixing on the right side of the road while a car passes to reduce the amount of direct light in my eyes. It helps a little.

Also note that head light technology produces brighter headlights now days. Those blue lights are great for the driver of the car, murder for any other driver on the road.

Yearly eye tests should be performed, not just the reading of the chart on the wall, but the other tests that check your periphery vision, look for signs of glaucoma and cataracts.

The older you get the more likely part time eyeglass wearing you may need to do, even if you have 20/20 vision.

Hi! Thank you for the replies.
I was wondering if it could be eyestrain, too.
Then, I didn't know weather going to an eye doctor would help just eyestrain...but according to the reply from DvdGStwt, glasses can be for that, too.
Yesterday, I read my book and it was like it was uncomfortable to read...I don't know how to describe it. It didn't hurt to read, and it wasn't blurry...it was just off somehow. I read a few pages, then stopped. After that, I got a headache and my neck hurt a little. I know that neckache can be a sign of eyestrain, too...So, maybe eyestrain is the problem. However, I've been reading a lot less than normal the past few weeks, so I'm not sure what my eyes would be strained from. I do work where there is a computer screen, but I'm not constantly staring at it all day.
I use it...but I'm not doing any typing or anything.
Well, thank you for the replies! I appreciate it a lot!

-AnimalAngel

Hi again! Maybe it could be eye allergies?
I tried eyedrops last night, which was the first time I have ever used eyedrops. It says on the package that there is a chance of it making the pupils dilate temporarily, which I think it did...because my eyes were really weird after that.
Why would eyedrops make your pupils dilate, though?
I look forward to any more replies!

-AnimalAngel

quote:

Originally posted by Georgia85:
But I cannot stress enough the importance of getting regular eye exams and strongly suggest you see an eye doctor to discuss your issues listed here. Good luck!

And I cannot agree more strongly with Georgia. Take this advice, it is the best. I really mean that. DO it! You get but one pair and they need to last a lifetime. Those who lose their sight would pay a king's ransom to get it back. Go now and get a professional assessment.

And David, some excellent points well made, thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by AnimalAngel:
Why would eyedrops make your pupils dilate, though?

Phenylephrine is one of the drugs found in decongestant/allergy eye-drops. It has similar properties to a group of medicines called antimuscarinics which is what your ophthalmologist uses to dilate the pupils. Antimuscarinics work by blocking the receptors in the muscles of the eye which control the shape of the pupil.

Phenylephrine is much more diluted than what would ever be used on you for an eye exam. And dilation of pupils from antihistamine or decongestant eye drops is a rare side-effect. Since this happened to you, you really should make that eye appointment!

Hi!
Actually, I just thought that the eye drops made my pupils dilate, but I don't think they did. To be honest, I had never really noticed what size my pupils were, and I just took notice when I put in those drops.
I've compared my pupils to when I haven't used the drops to when I have, and nothing changed.
So, the drops are okay after all.
Thank you for explaining how it could make your pupils dilate, though. I was really curious about that.

-AnimalAngel

Have you also thought that you may be feeling less up to par due to such variables as less sleep or temperature increases? These variables can quickly cause imaginations even feelings of vision problems.

The nausea is what worries me, you definitely need to get a check-up. I have a very severe eye disorder, nystagmus (involuntary eye movement) which supposedly makes me have vertigo(dizziness) if my glasses are off center even just a little bit. I also have several astigmatisms, and nearsightedness. Along with that, I am aging and have farsightedness. Now you can just imagine what my glasses cost, over 500 a year, due to the farsightedness changing each year. I must say, I do alot of computer work, as well as proof reading at work, over 10 hours a day, and have not gotten any of the symptoms you are describing. So listen to your body, headaches, nausea, are trying to tell you to get to the doctor, especially if it occurs while reading. That is a true eye problem. It may just be a simple prescription, but you must get it checked out, to make sure nothing internal is happening, they will do a thorough exam, and make sure all things are good under the tissues. How long has it been since you seen the eye doctor? And if you don't mind, can you tell us if you're over 40? That makes a difference, because farsightedness occurs around that age.

PS: The anti-glare feature is a must on my glasses due to the astigmatisms, due to computer use and even sunlight. You may want to think about that if you need specs.

Hi! I would like to thank all of you for your replies. Soaringhorse, I am so sorry that you have all those problems with your eyes. I am not near 40, to answer your question. I am in my 20s.
So, now is the time for an update: I went to the eye doctor, and he said that I have nearsightedness...but just a little bit. The nearsightedness was causing me to have eyestrain...which I knew I was having. So, I have gotten my very first pair of glasses...which I am supposed to wear at all times (and I do), and that will help with both problems. I just got them 2 days ago, and it's weird...but I am getting used to them.
Thanks again to everyone!

-AnimalAngel

I am glad you went to see the doc. I know glasses are wierd at first.. but you do get used to them.

I am slightly near-sighted myself.

Good to hear you got them checked, just let us know if you're getting nauseated still. Glasses have come a long way, since I've been wearing them since I was 5 years old. They are very light weight, and the styles are much nicer, than the way they were when I was younger. I guess I'm lucky, it could be worse. I was born with poor eyesigt, due to a birth defect, but I don't neglect my eyes. That is one thing I know for sure, you can't cheap out on. Just make sure you keep up with them, they sometimes improve, or get worse. Eye exams annually are a must for me.

I get used to them a little more each day, I think, Sherasi. They certainly do take getting used to.
I know not to let your eyes just go with no care...I'm with you on that, Soaringhorse.
All the signs/symptoms I experienced were not constant. I'd have something one day, and another the next week...that's why it was so confusing. However, the body works in mysterious ways. Actually, I even went a while without really having any problems...until one of my eyes started to not see as clearly as usual. Then, I was 100% sure I had to get them checked. Anyway, so the nausea only happened a few times, I think. I haven't had it in quite a while.

-AnimalAngel