Can Eye Strain Cause Migraines?

If you have ever had a migraine, you know the symptoms well. Sufferers frequently experience severe throbbing pain on one side of the head, often accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, visual disturbances, tingling in your limbs, nausea, and even vomiting.



Various factors can trigger a migraine, from hormonal changes to skipping a meal. But what about reading in low light or working long hours? Can eye strain cause migraines?

At Superior Eye Care, the trusted eye care center in Willowbrook, we know all about the causes and consequences of eye strain. Our team discusses the link between eye strain and migraines in this post.

What Are Migraines?

A migraine is a bad headache with severe symptoms. Migraine attacks can last for hours or days and can interfere with your daily routine and social obligations. 

Migraines typically worsen with physical activity, bright lights, loud noises, and strong smells. While there are different types of migraines, they typically have four stages:

• Prodrome: A day or two before the migraine, you might notice symptoms like irritability, trouble sleeping, or difficulty concentrating.
• Aura: As the name suggests, auras are typically visual disturbances like bright spots or flashes of light. You may also notice other symptoms during this phase, such as facial numbness, ringing in your ears, or trouble speaking.
• Attack: This is the active headache phase. Untreated migraines may last from four hours to three days, depending on the person.
• Postdrome: After a migraine, you may feel hangover-like symptoms for a couple of hours up to a few days.
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What Triggers Migraines?

Migraines are often unpredictable, but you may be able to identify certain factors that cause your symptoms to begin, including the following:

• Hormonal fluctuations
• Certain medications
• Weather changes
• Substances like caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco
• Some foods and additives, including nitrates and MSG and processed, cured, fermented, aged, or pickled foods
• Mental stress or physical overexertion
• Eye strain, including from untreated astigmatism, eye misalignment, or refractive errors
• Problems with your eye health, including eye infections, glaucoma, and optic nerve conditions

How Can I Manage Migraines?

As migraine triggers vary from person to person, so do migraine treatments. To manage migraines and other types of headaches, you can experiment with various strategies. 

Professional Treatments:

• Consult with your eye doctor about dry eye therapy, corrective prescriptions, and other tips and treatments to reduce eye strain.
• Discuss prescription medications with your doctor. They may prescribe muscle relaxers, pain relievers, or drugs that control nausea, vomiting, and blood circulation in the brain.
• Consider alternative treatments like acupuncture or biofeedback. 

Home Remedies:

• Rest in a quiet, dark room
• Apply cold or warm compresses to your head or neck
• Drink water (not alcohol or caffeine) to avoid dehydration
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers
• Take a hot bath or shower to relax
• Try to sleep

How Can I Prevent Eye-Related Migraines?

If you wonder, “Can eye strain cause migraines?” you may also wonder how to prevent them. The following steps may help reduce eye strain, tension headaches, and eye-related migraines:

• Follow the 20-20-20 rule, taking a 20-second screen break every 20 minutes to look at an object 20 feet away
• Take steps to avoid computer vision syndrome, including correctly positioning the computer screen, taking frequent breaks, and trying computer glasses to reduce glare and blue light. 
• Work on improving poor posture, including sitting up straight, arranging an ergonomically correct workstation, and practicing yoga. 
• Get a comprehensive professional eye examination to detect problems like dry eye, cataracts, or an injured cornea. 
• Ensure you have the proper prescription for your vision and activities, like single-vision lenses, reading glasses, or occupational progressive prescriptions.

Reach Out to Superior Eye Care Today

Now that we’ve answered, “Can eye strain cause migraines?” the team at Superior Eye Care is standing by for all your eye and vision needs. We can help with eye allergies, dry eyes, digital eye strain, and any issues leading to headaches or other problems. Call us today at 281-477-7811.