If you know the mechanism that causes eye strain, you will also know how to prevent it

Tired eyes, vaguely bright eyes, flickering eyes, bloodshot eyes... If you are in VDT ​​work (work using a display device such as a computer display), you have "eyestrain".

Because it is a physiological fatigue, it will be canceled if work is stopped or time passes. However, if this is left untreated, the shoulders become strangely stiff, headaches occur, and other abnormalities occur in areas other than the eyes. Such a secondary symptom is "asthenopia".

The mechanism is

The eyes, like the rest of the body, have muscles that make them move. However, if you move continuously for a long time, naturally your muscles will get tired and stiff. The energy to move the muscles is also insufficient, and the lactic acid that promotes fatigue increases in the muscles. Continuing to look at a nearby object, such as a monitor screen, causes the ciliary muscle to become tense, causing a kind of muscle pain.

If you think about this mechanism, you will know how to deal with eye strain.

① Rest your eyes

Oxygen is replenished and tense muscles gradually relax. Inactivity also reduces the amount of lactic acid.

② Relax your eyes

You can artificially promote blood circulation and relieve muscle fatigue by massaging around the eyeballs, eye exercises, and acupuncture therapy. ).

③Look far away

The ciliary muscle is tense when looking at a near object, but relaxes when looking at a distant object. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for the tense ciliary body to relax when you are still resting, but you can accelerate the relaxation time by looking into the distance.

As a matter of fact, it is quite difficult to do (3) at work, but try doing it on the rooftop or on the landing of the emergency staircase during your lunch break.

………… How to …………
Decide on a target point several tens of meters ahead, and extend your arm and put your thumb up about 50 centimeters away. If you look at your thumb nail for 1 minute, you will look at a distant target for 2 minutes.

Are you teasing your eyes even though it's the weekend?

Be careful how you spend your weekends.
Weekends are the days when you should get rid of the fatigue accumulated during the weekdays, relax your mind and body, and save energy.

However, more and more people are teasing their eyes on weekends.

(1) Watch the monitor screen for a long time at home.

Operating a computer for fun, watching TV, DVD, and video distribution services for a long time in a darkened room. The worst thing is to bring your computer work home. This is the same as teasing your eyes even though it's a holiday.

(2) Lack of sleep due to preoccupation with play.

On weekdays, I come home exhausted and can't do the things I want to do, such as hobbies. Going style is not good for your eyes. It can be said that whipping for tired eyes and continuing to overuse them for a long time is an act that causes eye strain.

(3) Unreasonable long-distance driving and nighttime driving.

I like cars, but I can't drive on weekdays. Take a holiday there. It's not bad per se, but it's a matter of degree. With a tired body and tired eyes, driving long distances or at night can lead to accidents and strain your eyes.

The unpleasant sensation of "eye fatigue" should be considered as a warning signal indicating that some kind of functional abnormality is occurring in the eye. If you don't change your lifestyle and take some kind of action, it won't improve and it will only get worse. For those who are unable to take the measures introduced here, we recommend using the ultrasonic therapy device "i-power".

Effective acupuncture therapy for eyestrain that can be done alone

It is basic to perform the treatment time and number of times to the extent that you do not get tired. As a guideline, the treatment time for one spot should be 5 to 15 minutes, and the number of repetitions of shiatsu should be the appropriate number of times that you feel comfortable.

Eye strain points on the neck

When applying shiatsu to the pressure points on the back of the neck, extend your elbows to the left and right, hold your head with both hands, and press the pressure points with your thumbs.

If you have a stiff neck, try pinching the two thick muscles (trapezius muscles) at the back of your neck.

Tenchu

LOCATION/Two thick muscle outer folds at the hairline on the back of the neck.
Treatment: Stretch your elbows to the left and right, hold your head with both hands, and apply pressure points with your thumbs. The stiffness in the neck due to severe fatigue is relieved, and the blood circulation in the head improves, allowing you to relax.

Wind pond (fuuchi)

Location/In the hairline at the back of the neck, a depression slightly spaced on each side of the two thick muscles.
Treatment: Stretch your elbows to the left and right, hold your head with both hands, and apply pressure points with your thumbs. It relieves tension in the neck and improves blood flow to the eyes.

Eye strain points around the eyes

Doshiryo

LOCATION / The hollow half the width of the thumb outward from the outer corner of the eye.
Treatment/Repeat pressing for about 2 seconds at the same time on the left and right sides of the index finger.

sun

Position/1 thumb width back from the midpoint between the outer edge of the eyebrow and the outer edge of the eyebrow.
Treatment/Acupressure with the pad of the index finger or thumb. Don't push too hard at the beginning, apply force little by little, and finally push firmly. As the pot name "sun" says, "as the sun shines", the tired eyes are refreshed.

Seimei

Location/Bone depression between the corner of the eye and the bridge of the nose.
Treatment/Use the pad of your index finger to gently press. Be careful not to press your eyeballs. It has the effect of removing tension around the eyes and refreshing them.

Sanchiku

Position / At the inner edge of each eyebrow on the left and right.
Treatment/Apply your index or middle finger and apply acupressure as strong as you feel comfortable. It has the function of adjusting eye function, and is effective when tears are easily produced, asthenopia, and poor eyesight in the elderly.

Shichiku Kuu

Position/Press the outer edge of the eyebrow with your finger and move it up and down into a small depression in the bone. That's the bamboo sky.
Treatment/Apply your index or middle finger and apply acupressure as strong as you feel comfortable. It has the function of regulating eye function, and when you apply acupressure on this point, you can get rid of eye fatigue and feel refreshed. It is also effective for bloodshot eyes.

Acupuncture points on the shoulder that are effective for stiff shoulders

Kensei

Position/midpoint on the line connecting the base of the back neck and the tip of the shoulder.
Treatment/Wrap the shoulder with one hand and apply light pressure to the fingertips, and move the elbow of the hand wrapping the shoulder up and down with the other hand. With the lever action, stimulation can be easily concentrated without pressing too hard on the fingertips that are touching the points on the shoulder. Effective for stubborn stiff shoulders associated with eye fatigue.