light sensitivity

[bgregoire]

I am wondering if anyone has some advice on trying to help with eye pain related to light sensitivity. I suffer from pain all over but the pain in my eyes is what is the major reason I am unable to work. I can only go for a period of about 15-20 minutes of looking at my computer screen without my eye pain to really flare up. Looking at the screen for a longer period of time will make my eyes feel exhausted and any light will just hurt. This will also give me killer headaches.

I have been to the eye doctor and he said my eyes are perfect and there is nothing wrong with them. I have tried non prescription anti glare glasses as well as turning my brightness down on my screen with little success. Lowering the brightness seems to help the best but that only extends the time to about an hour but it makes it really hard to read. My employer also just bought me one of the nicest monitors available but even that didn't work. My job requires me to look at my computer all day and I just cant do it for that long. I recently tried returning to work for 2 weeks and just endure the pain but I just couldn't do it. I would get to about 1 or 2 in the afternoon and it would be unbearable.

Anyone else have or had this issue and have any advise? I need to get back to work soon. I have tried to apply for my companies short term disability insurance but they have rejected my claim as there isn't enough medical evidence to meet their definition of disabled. If I could fix the eye pain I could cope with the rest I think.


Thank you

Ben

 

[Trellum]

Sorry to hear you are going tru this, Ben. It must be really frustrating! I also suffer from this, but to a lesser degree. I can look at the computer for long, but my eyes always feel tired and hurt. I get headaches often as well. I thought it was allergies, but that wasn't it! I feel a bit better ever since I started using an special gel for my eyes, is much better than just using eye drops and leaves the eye feeling really fresh. I also use artificial tears. This has helped me a lot so far.

 

[nascarmike]

Other than sympathy I don't know what to tell you I hope you find a solution.

 

[bgregoire]

I bought some new antiglare glasses for the computer, the kind that have a slight tint to them and I am going to see if they help. I will try some artificial tears and see if that helps. Thanks

 

[Whyfor]

Have you ever been tested for Rosacea, Ben? I know it isn't a common symptom listed on all of the disease run-down sites, but I've heard several individuals with Rosacea describe an intense sensitivity to UV light, both from natural light, and light from certain types of screens. They get terrible eyestrain and headaches just by being exposed to UV rays. Are you noticing any redness after the exposure on your face?

Aside from that, I'm assuming you've also been tested for Lupus recently? I know that sun sensitivity is an incredibly common symptoms for those with Lupus.

Regardless, I hope you feel better.

 

[1sweed]

There are glasses you can get from the eye doctor just for use at the computer. Or I might suggest sunglasses with a gray tone, that block light mildly yet let you look at the screen without eye strain. Also use lots of eye drops like artifical tears. Staring at the screen for any length of time causes dry eyes and straining of eye muscles. So I would take plenty of breaks away from the computer and rest your eyes.

I have this problem if I try playinmg games on line and my eyes hurt and get bloodshot from straining to look at the screen.

 

[bgregoire]

I bought the glasses that are tinted yellow, they are suppose to block out the blue light that causes eye strain. I am testing them out and so far they seem like they are better. Working with them for a while will be the only true test though.

 

[MercyL]

I am wondering if anyone has some advice on trying to help with eye pain related to light sensitivity. I suffer from pain all over but the pain in my eyes is what is the major reason I am unable to work. I can only go for a period of about 15-20 minutes of looking at my computer screen without my eye pain to really flare up. Looking at the screen for a longer period of time will make my eyes feel exhausted and any light will just hurt. This will also give me killer headaches.

I have been to the eye doctor and he said my eyes are perfect and there is nothing wrong with them. I have tried non prescription anti glare glasses as well as turning my brightness down on my screen with little success. Lowering the brightness seems to help the best but that only extends the time to about an hour but it makes it really hard to read. My employer also just bought me one of the nicest monitors available but even that didn't work. My job requires me to look at my computer all day and I just cant do it for that long. I recently tried returning to work for 2 weeks and just endure the pain but I just couldn't do it. I would get to about 1 or 2 in the afternoon and it would be unbearable.

Anyone else have or had this issue and have any advise? I need to get back to work soon. I have tried to apply for my companies short term disability insurance but they have rejected my claim as there isn't enough medical evidence to meet their definition of disabled. If I could fix the eye pain I could cope with the rest I think.


Thank you

Ben

I have experienced the same issues with my eyes. It is the result of reading text on the computer, AKA eyestrain.

There are a few things you can do to ease the stress on your eyes. You can change the way webpages present on your screen by changing the settings in your browser.

You can also take frequent breaks, which is something we should all be doing. Look up and away from your computer screen every 10 minutes or so.

Moisturizing eye drops can also help with the irritation as can those really great glasses!

 

[bgregoire]

Thanks for the advise. It makes sense that it is eyestrain, it just that it has never bothered me before until I started feeling symptoms this July. I am a software engineer so looking at my computer screen is my entire job. I am back to work today and am trying out my new glasses and some eye drops and I hope they work. I also talked to my doctor about this and we have made some accommodation requests so that I can take some breaks or potentially work half days when things are bad. I guess I will see how it goes.

 

[MercyL]

Thanks for the advise. It makes sense that it is eyestrain, it just that it has never bothered me before until I started feeling symptoms this July. I am a software engineer so looking at my computer screen is my entire job. I am back to work today and am trying out my new glasses and some eye drops and I hope they work. I also talked to my doctor about this and we have made some accommodation requests so that I can take some breaks or potentially work half days when things are bad. I guess I will see how it goes.

Our bodies are always changing. We spend years using our hands, then one day we wake up with osteoarthritis, we spend years eating our favorite foods only to wake up at 50 and find ourselves allergic to that favorite food.

I, too, used computers for years and developed eyestrain issues after 40.

 

[bgregoire]

My doctor wanted me to see a new ophthalmologist when I called him for advise. The new Dr couldn't find anything wrong with my eyes at all and said they looked completely healthy. For the eye pain she recommended some anti glare glasses with a yellow tint which I already have. She suggested breaks and the computer glasses like some of you suggested so that is what I am trying. I have returned to work and will see how that goes. It is going to take some adjustment but I am hopeful that it will work

 

[sagar]

Hello,
I don't know i has but i don’t like to see very bright light even on my PC i turn brightness completely low and when i walking road if car coming from straight its headlights are very irritating to me...

 

[l3itch]

I have the exact same issues as you do, though maybe not quite as bad. I am a database manager, so my job is 100% staring at the computer as well. I wear the best anti-glare glasses out there, my screen is turned down as low as the brightness goes. I also drastically change the contrast, which helps me a lot.

Last year I purchased a piece of property out in the boonies and my work agreed to let me start working from home. I've noticed a significant improvement since then and I attribute it to the lack of fluorescent overhead lights. My home office is set up with no artificial lights besides the monitor and it makes a huge difference. Since I started working from home I've realized that anywhere I go with artificial lights, especially fluorescent lights, immediately bring on the pain and eye strain.

Maybe it's a great excuse to move to an office with a window so you can turn off all of the lights? Maybe you could work out a deal to work from home?

I hope you find something that works for you.

 

[msnova74]

I also have extreme light sensitivity. "Vampire vision" my doc calls it. I have these awful yellow tinted glasses for at work. Although the do not cure the issue it helps a ton. I also have a specialized film on my sunglasses to drive during the day.

 

[bgregoire]

I have been using my glasses at work and taking breaks and it has been mostly working, although it hasn't been a huge improvement, I have been able to work. I work a few days from home have noticed it is worse when I am in the office rather than my home office and it makes sense is from the lighting. I don't have florescent lighting at home and I can work for a longer period of time at home than from the office. It has been a struggle and a difficult adjustment but so far it has been ok.