combating eyestrain & photosensitivity
In 2024, I had to start two medications (Azathioprine + Infliximab) that are associated with becoming more photosensitive, which means I react more strongly to sunlight. That means covering up more, wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, a sun hat etc.. I stopped the one mainly known for this (Aza), but my current one still does it a bit. It doesn't only affect the outer skin, it also seems to affect my eyes a bit. I notice it the most when it's sunny outside, or at night with car lights. To add to that, I've had dry eyes for years (confirmed by my work eye exam) and when I stare at something a short distance from me for very long, like a phone or a book, I see double when I look up for a few minutes. Apparently this is a dryness and strain issue. Though I can say, I have never needed glasses and I still don't yet, so hooray.
Especially recently, I seem to be very sensitive to screens. I can make it a maximum of two hours before the back of my eyes hurt and it slowly develops into a headache. I feel like I am more headache prone since being on Azathioprine anyway, and even before that, I would occasionally get migraines with visual auras. Triggers were usually not drinking or eating enough, and that still seems to hold up.
I guess I will get an eye checkup the next time they offer one at work; I have to be a bit more cautious with my eyes now because both my medication and my Bechterew's can mess with my eyes, specifically causing uveitis. I'm also not getting any younger, so I guess at some point I have to kiss my glasslessness goodbye, and increased issues with screen fatigue and strain could be a sign I need glasses sooner than later.
Anyway, in the meantime, I'm doing the following:
- Getting back on track with taking my eye drops morning + night.
- Letting my eyes wander more while sitting at the desk. I think removing one screen from my setup plays into this - I notice more issues since then. I keep staring ahead on one screen, instead of looking left and right as well to check other screens.
- Darkmode everywhere, low brightness. For screens that have this, turning down the backlight.
- Elevating my main screen. It sadly isn't height adjustable, but I put a law book I don't need anymore under it to elevate it, and it already makes a difference. Before that, I was slightly looking down all the time, especially since I recently also changed my chair height, so that exacerbated the strain.
- More space between me and screens.
- Eye exercises. There are some a friend showed me last fall with holding your hands in front of you at different lengths and looking back and forth between them. I'm sure there's YouTube videos of exercises.
- Simply less screen time! Getting up more, going out more, exercising, playing cards, reading books etc. I can't change that my job requires hours of screen time, but I can choose not to add too much to it in my free time. This one helps the most; I noticed my issues vanished during my hotel trip. Looking strongly or closely at things seems to be fine if it doesn't glow.
It's important for me to get this under control or find ways to cope, because I will likely never have a job with a livable wage that doesn't require hours of screen work, and if I can't manage that, I effectively cannot work. Same thing with many of my favorite pastimes.
Published 04 Jan, 2025