Acupressure Points For Relieving Eye Strain

Eye strain is a medical issue that usually occurs when your eyes get tired from intense use. For example, driving a car for extended periods, reading, or working at the computer. If you experience any eye discomfort caused by looking at something for a long time, it may be termed as eye strain. The signs and symptoms of eye strain are a sign that eyes need immediate and the right kind of attention and  treatment. There are certain acupressure points for eye strain apart from other kinds of medical treatment.

What Are The Common Causes Of Eyestrain?

One of the major causes of eyestrain is the daily use of computer screens for several hours at a time. According to The Vision Council Report, 87% of those in the United States use one or more digital devices for more than two hours a day. And, prolonged viewing of digital devices is a crucial factor for eye strain.

There are various other factors such as being in an inadequately lit environment, either too dim or too bright, experiencing poor vision or eye problems like dry eyes, failing to blink as often as normal and holding a digital device too far or too close to your eyes.

What Are The Symptoms Of Eye Strain?

Some signs and symptoms of eye strain include sore, tired, burning or itching eyes, watery or dry eyes, and blurred vision.  Few other symptoms may include headache, pain in neck, shoulders or back, high sensitivity to light, trouble in concentrating and a strange feeling that you are unable to keep your eyes open.

What Are The Crucial Tips For Prevention Of Eye Strain?

There are some simple things that you can do to help prevent eye strain. Practicing these small but effective steps will play a crucial role in preventing and relieving the problems of eye strain. Read out some of these effective tips mentioned here:-

Try To Look Away Frequently (20-20-20 Rule)

Eyestrain usually occurs when you engage in a particular activity for too long without a break. Therefore, you should shift your focus to something other than that specific activity every 20 minutes. Whatever you choose to focus on should be 20 feet away. And, you must look at it for 15 to 20 seconds. This process is known as the 20-20-20 rule. You should not only compulsorily look away every 20 minutes but also make sure to turn away from an intense activity for several hours during the day.

1. Position Your Screen Correctly

You need to make sure that you are looking at your digital device at the correct distance and in the proper position. It is important that the screen should be a few feet away from your eyes, or about arm’s length. You should view the screen at the level of your eyes or possibly slightly below them. This is applicable for handheld digital devices. You may also enlarge the text on the screen to the best suit your comfort level or likely adjust text size in the settings of your device.

2. Go For The Right Light

Insufficient amount of lighting can also cause eyestrain. Always make sure that the light should come from behind you if you are focusing intensely on something like reading.  Also, dimming the lights may help minimize eyestrain when watching TV. Try to adjust the brightness as needed. Glare can be responsible for eyestrain. Hence, go for shading windows or using filters to reduce glare on your digital device.

What Are The Methods Of Treating Eye Strain?

In most of the cases, making changes like the ones mentioned above will help to treat eyestrain. However, if you experience eyestrain that’s severe or lasts a long time, you must discuss the medical condition with your doctor.

So, eye strain is best combated through preventative measures. However, there are treatments available for people who take these measures and use eye strain remedies but still suffer. Your proper eye strain treatment process would start with speaking to an eye doctor to test your vision and perform a full eye exam.

Another helpful remedy for treating eye strain  at home can be artificial tears. There are several varieties of artificial tears available over the counter that are cost-effective and simple to use.  Although it may not ease your discomfort completely, but still these lubricating eye drops are certainly worth trying as part of self-care.

Acupressure therapy can also be applied to treat eye strain. Acupressure is an ancient therapy. It has been used to treat and cure various diseases. It is an ancient science that revolves around meridians through which energy flows. Certain spots feel painful and cause various illnesses when the energy flow is obstructed at some points.

This therapy helps in eliminating away the barrier or reshuffling the accumulated energy. Acupressure helps reduce eye problems, like myopia or shortsightedness, and cataract. Also,  presbyopia, hypermetropia, color blindness, astigmatism, cataract, and amblyopia.

Benefits Of Acupressure Massage For The Eyes

Acupressure massage has a range of benefits on the eyes. Right from improving eye vision problems to relaxing  the eyes and so much more. The best part is that you can easily apply the right acupressure points for instant relief.

Below-mentioned are some crucial benefits of the acupressure massage on the eyes:-

• Improves Vision – Application of gentle pressure to the suitable acupressure points for the eyes may help improve vision.
• Relieves Tension – Massaging the acupressure points around the eyes can help reduce eye tension due to dryness.
• Relaxes The Eyes – Massaging the acupressure points for eyes helps reduce eye strain caused due to too much screen time.
• Prevents Issue of Eye Twitching – Gently massaging the eyes on the acupressure points may help minimize the problem of eye twitching.
• Helpful for Glaucoma – Massaging the eye acupressure points in the appropriate way may help with glaucoma.

There are few effective acupressure points for relieving Eyestrain. Applying these points in the right way can help you get better quicker. You need not use all these points. Pressing just one or two of them whenever you have a free hand can be effective in dealing with the eye strain.

Here mentioned are some effective pressure points to relieve eye strain:

There are various pressure points to relieve eye strain. You may read about them in this article mentioned below. However, you need to also note that apart from being aware about the right pressure points to apply for relieving eye  strain, you must also know about the right process to do so.

1. Third Eye Point (GV 24.5)

It is located directly between the eyebrows. It is in the indentation where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead. This pressure point helps the endocrine system, especially the pituitary gland. And, provides relief in mild fever, headaches, and also eyestrain.

2. Drilling Bamboo (B2)

It is situated in the indentations outside the bridge of the nose close to the inner edge of the eyebrows. Pressing this point relieves red and painful eyes, headaches, and hay fever.

3. Four Whites (ST 2)

It is located somewhat below the center of the lower eye ridge. Applying this pressure point relieves burning or aching eyes, sinus pain, headaches, and dry eyes.

4. Facial Beauty (ST 3)

It is located at the bottom of the cheekbone, directly in line with the pupil of the eye.  It is applied to relieve eye fatigue and pressure, stuffy nose, and head congestion.

5. Wind Mansion (GV 16)

It is located at the top of the spinal column in the large hollow under the base of the skull. You can apply this pressure point for relieving mental problems and headaches. You may try placing just the tip of your middle finger on this point and applying gentle pressure for relief.

 6. Heavenly Pillar (B 10)

It is located below the base of the skull. It can be applied to relieve stress, burnout, exhaustion, heaviness in the head, eyestrain, and swollen eyes.

7. Bigger Rushing (LV 3)

It is located right above the top of the foot. You may find it in the webbing between the big toe and the second toe. It helps relieve headaches, tired eyes, and hangovers.

Using Acupressure Points Near The Eye

You can work your way around the eyes. You should spend a minimum of about 10 to 15 seconds on each point. You may either use the tip of your finger or your knuckles to gently massage the points. Always try to keep your nail away from the skin.

Massage Your Knuckles

Another place to massage is at the base of your ring finger, middle finger, and index finger. Use your thumb to gently massage where the knuckle meets your hand. You can also massage just above that knuckle as well. You may flip your hand over to massage on the other side too.

It is important to note that you must drink plenty of warm water after the massage, to help clear away toxic substances in our body. In case you have a serious illness, or life-threatening illness such as heart disease, or cancer, you must consult with your physician before going for acupressure for eye strain.

Summing Up:

Acupressure is a traditional Chinese Medicine. It encourages the steady flow of energy through 14 channels in the body. By massaging the pressure points for eye strain, you can provide quick relief to the eyes. Acupressure is effective for the eyes and improves vision in kids and adults.

Massaging the acupressure points for the eyes is an easy-to-follow technique. You can even use it at home and on a daily basis. Once you have some experience at it, you should be able to apply pressure without causing pain to the pressure point. However, if you experience discomfort or pain while applying pressure, stop immediately and consult a trained acupuncturist for further information. They are the experts and will help you locate the correct points for the eyes and teach you how to apply the right pressure.

 

FAQ’S

1.How to reduce eye strain while using phone?

To reduce eye strain, you may hold your phone at some distance. Additionally, adjust the brightness in accordance with how your eye/pupil reacts. You may lower the brightness down to 5-10% from the current level.

2.Can eye strain make you blind?

If you get the eye strain and it is not treated well, then it might lead to blindness after a point of time. This is because the eyes visual nerves will be damaged badly because of the eye strain. 

3.What can eye strain possibly lead to?

Eye strain can lead to a headache and other types of eye problems. These problems may be dry eyes, injury to the eye, degenerative eye disease, uncorrected nearsightedness and farsightedness, and eye infection.

4.Can book reading cause eye strain?

Reading books in smaller print can wear them out resulting in eye strain. So, reading in a fine print may cause eye strain, however, there is no evidence to support that it will damage the eyes.