Do eye drops help with eye strain?

Eye drops can help with part of eye strain, the dryness and irritation that come from blinking less at a screen, but they don’t address the focusing effort behind it. Quell’s label covers dryness and irritation, not strain. Regular breaks, better lighting, a well-placed monitor and an up-to-date glasses prescription do more for strained eyes. Headaches or blurry vision that keep coming back are a reason for an eye exam.

What people mean by eye strain

“Eye strain” isn’t a label term. People use it for a mix of feelings after long, close work: tired or heavy eyes, burning, a dull ache around the eyes or forehead, trouble refocusing when they look up, and vision that blurs for a moment. Two different things usually drive those feelings:

• Focusing effort. Looking at something close for a long time keeps the eye’s focusing muscles working steadily. That fatigue is about focus, not moisture.
• Dryness. Concentrating on a screen or page lowers how often you blink, and many blinks become partial. Less blinking means the tear film breaks up and evaporates between blinks.

A lubricating drop can only speak to the second one.

Do eye drops help with eye strain? What the label covers

Quell’s Uses line reads: For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye. That’s about dryness and irritation. It doesn’t mention focusing, fatigue, headaches or strain, and no lubricating drop changes how hard your eyes work to focus. Quell is designed to reinforce the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss, which matters when long screen sessions leave the surface exposed.

So if your “strain” feels mostly like dryness, grittiness or burning that eases when you blink a lot, a drop used as directed may help with that part: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. If it feels more like an ache, a heaviness or a struggle to focus, drops are unlikely to be the answer. Our guide on whether eye drops help tired eyes looks at a closely related question.

Eye drops for eye strain vs. habits that help more

For most people at a desk, changes to the way they work make a bigger difference than any drop:

• Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It relaxes focusing and reminds you to blink.
• Blink fully on purpose a few times when you look away, letting the lids meet.
• Sit roughly an arm’s length from the monitor, and set its top at or a little below eye level.
• Raise text size instead of leaning in.
• Match screen brightness to the room. A bright monitor in a dark room, or a dim one beside a sunny window, makes eyes work harder.
• Reduce glare from windows and overhead lights by angling the screen or using a shade.
• Keep heater and air conditioning vents from blowing at your face.

Our guides on screens and your tear film and eye drops for computer users have more desk setup ideas.

Reading, driving and other close work

Screens get the blame, but books, sewing, fine woodwork, long drives and microscope work can cause the same mix of focus fatigue and dryness. The fixes are similar: breaks to look into the distance, good light on the task, and conscious blinking. Our guide to dry eyes when reading covers print specifically.

When eye strain means you need an eye exam

Strain that shows up every day, even after you’ve fixed your setup, is often a sign that your eyes need a check. An eye doctor can measure whether you need glasses or a new prescription, including lenses set for computer distance, which many people never think to ask about. Book an appointment if you notice:

• Headaches that follow close work most days.
• Blurry vision that doesn’t clear when you blink or take a break.
• Double vision, or having to close one eye to read.
• Squinting at screens or signs you used to see easily.
• Eye pain, or dryness and irritation that persist.

The label is clear on when to stop using a drop: Stop use and ask a doctor if you feel eye pain or changes in your vision, if irritation or redness continues, or if the condition worsens or persists for 72 hours. Our list of eye symptoms that need a doctor covers urgent signs, and questions to ask your eye doctor can help you make the most of a visit.

If you decide to try a lubricating drop

Read the caution first: Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only. Follow the handling line every time: Do not touch tip of bottle to any surface to avoid contamination. Store it as directed: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). A bottle in a desk drawer is handy for screen breaks, and the Drug Facts page has the full panel. The label doesn’t give directions for use with contact lenses, so contact wearers should ask their eye doctor first.