How to Reduce Eye Strain From Computer Use (What Actually Helped Me)

How to Reduce Eye Strain From Computer Use (What Actually Helped Me)

If you work on a computer most days, eye strain can slowly creep up without you realising. Sore, tired eyes, headaches, puffiness and that heavy feeling behind your eyes are common when screen time adds up.

As a Virtual Assistant working from home, my work naturally involves long hours at a computer. Over time, I started to experience eye pain. After eye tests, hospital appointments and regular check-ups with my optician, I was reassured that my eyes were medically healthy and continue to be monitored.

What I was dealing with wasn’t an eye condition, it was eye strain from computer use.

In this post, I’m sharing what helped me reduce eye strain while working on a computer. This is based on my personal experience alongside regular professional eye care. If you’re concerned about your eye health, always seek medical advice.

The video below shows the products I mention in this post.

I-Caps Eye Vitamins for Eye Strain (My Biggest Improvement)

The biggest improvement to my eye strain from computer use came from taking I-Caps eye vitamins.

I stopped taking general multivitamins and switched to a supplement designed specifically for eye health. Within a few weeks, my eyes felt less sore and the deep, aching feeling behind them eased. The muscles around my eyes felt less tense and the constant discomfort reduced.

I take one capsule a day with food. Each bottle contains 30 tablets, so it works as a simple monthly habit. A pack costs approximately £18.25 and I buy mine from Boots.

This didn’t fix everything on its own, but it gave my eyes a better baseline before I tackled screen habits and breaks.

This is based on my personal experience. Supplements are not a replacement for medical advice or eye tests.

Buy the vitamins I use from Boots

Wedge Pillow for Sleeping (Puffy Eyes and Morning Swelling)

Using a wedge pillow for sleeping made a noticeable difference to how puffy my eyes looked in the morning.

I use my wedge pillow every night and from the first night there was a clear change. My eyelids and under-eye area looked less swollen when I woke up. My face felt less puffy overall and even my head and ears felt less full.

I use a firm wedge pillow with a regular pillow on top for comfort. This keeps my head and upper body elevated without straining my neck.

Sleeping slightly elevated helps reduce fluid build-up around the face and eyes overnight. When you lie flat, fluid can collect and make eye strain feel worse in the morning. Elevation supports better drainage and can ease that heavy, swollen feeling.

There’s also research showing that sleeping with your head elevated can reduce eye pressure overnight. If you’re interested, you can look at the research yourself here.

This didn’t cure my eye strain, but it made mornings noticeably better.

Buy the wedge pillow I use

Best Heated Eye Mask for Dry Eyes (Instant Relief)

A heated eye mask for dry eyes gives me the fastest relief when my eyes feel tired or strained during the day.

I use mine a few times a week, usually later in the afternoon when my eyes are sore, but I still have work to do after client calls. I heat the mask for 30 seconds and rest it over my eyelids for 5–10 minutes. The warmth helps the muscles around my eyes relax. For me, heat works far better than cold.

A warm flannel also works, but I prefer an eye mask as it doesn’t leave my face wet or wipe off my makeup. The one I use has a removable cover so it can be washed regularly.

This doesn’t fix the cause of eye strain, but it gives my eyes a reset so I can keep working.

Buy the heated eye mask I use

Lubricating Eye Drops for Computer Use

I use eye drops to help with dry, sore eyes caused by working on a computer.

The drops feel lubricating without being sticky. The squeeze bottle releases a small, controlled drop, so it’s easy to use during the workday.

I use one drop per eye, up to six times a day if needed. I keep them on my desk and use them as soon as my eyes start to feel uncomfortable rather than waiting until they’re very sore.

They don’t remove the cause of eye strain, but they help manage dryness while working on my laptop at home.

Buy the eye drops I use

Blue Light Glasses for Sleep and Evening Screen Use

I use blue light glasses for sleep in the evenings when I’m scrolling on my phone or watching a film after work.

After a full day on a computer, extra screen time can make my eyes feel worse. The glasses don’t fix everything, but they do help, especially when I’m winding down before bed.

I mainly use them in the evening rather than during the day. They’re low effort and part of my wider approach to managing eye strain from computer use.

Buy the blue light glasses I use

f.lux on PC (Free Way to Reduce Eye Strain at Night)

I installed f.lux on my PC and it immediately changed how my screen felt in the evenings.

During the day, I barely notice it. At night, the screen becomes warmer and softer, which feels much easier on my eyes. If I work late, it removes the harsh brightness that makes eye strain worse.

Computer screens are designed to be bright like daylight. f.lux automatically adjusts your screen colour based on the time of day, which helps reduce eye strain from computer use in the evening.

It’s free and easy to set up.

Download f.lux (free)

Do You Remember to Take Breaks?

One of the biggest factors that helps eye strain is remembering to stop.

When I’m focused, hours can pass without me realising how long I’ve been staring at a screen. That’s when soreness and heaviness behind my eyes build up.

I work in timed blocks so I’m forced to pause. When the timer goes off, I stop, rest my eyes and move, even briefly.

Standing up, stretching, refilling water, or looking away from screens all help. Without breaks, the products help less. With breaks, my eyes cope much better.

Getting Outside in Natural Light

Spending time in natural light has also helped with eye strain from computer work.

When working from home, it’s easy to go straight from bed to screen. I try to get outside early, even if it’s just eating breakfast in the garden or stepping outside for a few minutes.

I also avoid looking at my phone first thing in the morning. I think of it as having limited “eye credits” each day, if I use them all up early, my eyes feel it later.

Image description: Eating breakfast outside in natural light while working from home. Getting outdoors early in the day helps reduce eye strain from computer use

Eye Exercises You Can Do at Your Desk

If you ever think why do my eyes feel so tired, simple eye exercises can help.

I sometimes use a short eye yoga video with gentle movements you can do at your desk. It doesn’t take long and works well as a screen break.

These exercises help my eyes feel less tight and overworked and support movement after long periods of staring at a screen.

Watch the video below. 

Conclusion: Managing Eye Strain, Not Chasing a Quick Fix

I still experience eye strain, but it’s manageable now.

The eye vitamins reduced soreness, the wedge pillow helped with morning puffiness and the heated eye mask gives quick relief when my eyes need a break. Alongside that, taking regular breaks, using natural light and managing screen time has made a real difference.

Managing eye strain from computer use isn’t about fixing everything at once. Small changes add up. One adjustment, then another, can make working on a computer far more comfortable over time.

FAQ

Q1. What helps eye strain when working from home?

What helped me most was a combination of eye vitamins, regular breaks, using a heated eye mask and making small changes like natural light and screen filters. No single fix worked on its own.

Q2. Do heated eye masks help with eye strain?

A heated eye mask didn’t fix the cause of my eye strain, but it gave fast relief when my eyes felt tired or sore. I use mine for short breaks during the workday to help my eyes relax.

Q3. Can sleeping position affect eye strain or puffy eyes?

Sleeping slightly elevated helped reduce morning puffiness around my eyes. Using a wedge pillow improved how my eyes and face felt when I woke up, especially after long screen days.

Q4. Do blue light glasses really help eye strain?

Blue light glasses helped me a little in the evenings, mainly by supporting better sleep after screen use. I found them more useful at night than during the day.

Q5. Are eye vitamins worth taking for eye strain?

Eye vitamins made the biggest difference for me overall, helping reduce soreness and discomfort over time. They didn’t replace breaks or other changes, but they gave my eyes better support alongside them.

Now read: 11 Daily Habits to Improve Life and Feel Better Working from Home

And read: My Work From Home Desk Setup: The Essentials I Use Every Day