The solution to visual fatigue

Author: Cui Yihui, registered dietitian

Reviewer: Wang Junbo, Associate Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, Peking University Health Science Center

Visual fatigue is a common eye disease, which is manifested by dry eyes, soreness, double vision and intermittent blurred vision. In severe cases, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, neck muscle tension and shoulder pain may occur.

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1. Grading of visual fatigue

1. Mild: Symptoms such as eye soreness and swelling may occur after using the eyes, but they recover quickly after rest and have no obvious impact on work or study.

2. Moderate: There are obvious eye symptoms, which have a certain impact on study and work.

3. Severe: In addition to obvious eye symptoms and inability to see for a long time, it is also accompanied by symptoms such as memory loss and insomnia, which seriously affect study, work and life.

2. Causes of visual fatigue

1. Bad eye habits: reading at close range for a long time or using computers and mobile phones, lighting that is too strong or too weak, reading in small fonts, etc., can lead to excessive contraction (tension) of the eye muscles and cause visual fatigue.

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2. Loss of nutrients in photoreceptor cells. Long-term use of the eyes will cause excessive consumption of energy and nutrients in photoreceptor cells. If the required supply is not timely, it will easily lead to a longer time for the macula and retina to recover. For example, the protective pigment (lutein) in the macula of the retina is consumed every day, and the human body cannot synthesize it on its own. When the intake is insufficient, the pigment density of the retina and lens decreases, and it cannot effectively block those destructive strong light (such as blue light from mobile phone screens, sunlight, etc.). Among the "eye injuries" caused by these strong lights, visual fatigue is the mildest.

3. Free radical damage : Long-term use of the eyes will produce a large number of free radicals. If the free radicals cannot be metabolized and eliminated in time, they will damage the visual cells, especially the retinal cells. The function of the eyes will be weakened, and visual fatigue will easily occur.

4. Poor liver function From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the liver and eyes have the closest relationship in the human body, that is, "the liver governs the eyes" and "the liver opens up to the eyes". The liver continuously delivers nutrients to the eyes through the meridian channels, so that our eyes can be "bright and lively". If the liver is damaged, the eyes are prone to disease.

(1) Insufficient liver blood, lack of nourishment to the eyes: If liver cells are not adequately nourished and blood supply is insufficient, the eyes will lose nourishment, which can easily lead to fatigue symptoms such as dry eyes, blurred vision, lack of spirit, and even dullness.

(2) Emotional imbalance and liver dysfunction: If negative emotions accumulate, especially negative emotions such as anxiety caused by stress, coupled with irregular lifestyle and diet, excessive smoking and drinking, it will cause liver depression and qi stagnation, and liver fire. In this case, it is easy to have eye symptoms such as red bloodshot, blurred vision, dry eyes, and excessive secretions.

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3. Solutions to visual fatigue

1. Develop good habits of eye protection, use your eyes scientifically, take regular breaks, pay attention to the brightness of the light in the environment where you use your eyes, make sure the brightness of the display is appropriate, maintain a correct sitting posture, and generally do not concentrate on using your eyes for more than 1 hour. Take a break for 5 to 10 minutes, look into the distance, close your eyes, blink, move your eyeballs, and do eye exercises.

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2. Regulate your emotions and get enough sleep. Adjust and channel your negative emotions in a timely manner, try to maintain an optimistic attitude, and avoid aggravating "eye injuries" due to "liver depression".

3. Plan your work and rest schedule properly , avoid staying up late, and go to bed before 23:00 at night to allow your eyes to completely relax.

4. Good diet for eye protection Drink more water. You can use chrysanthemum, wolfberry and cassia seed to make tea, which can clear the liver and improve eyesight. Eat whole grains as the staple food for three meals a day. Compared with refined rice and refined flour, whole grains are rich in B vitamins and trace elements, which are essential nutrients for nourishing the eyes. Eat more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and anthocyanins. You can also choose dietary supplements rich in lutein, anthocyanins and other eye-protecting nutrients to protect your eyes.