Many people in Lagos think that blurry vision, regular brow headaches, and gritty red eyes are just normal signs of being tired.
Meanwhile, these symptoms could indicate problems like uncorrected astigmatism, presbyopia, dry eye syndrome, or computer vision syndrome (digital eye strain).
Self-medicating with over-the-counter eye drops can cause lasting damage to the eyes, such as glaucoma caused by steroids. A licensed optometrist must do a full eye exam to diagnose refractive errors and check for other eye diseases.
Your Symptoms May Not Be Just Lagos Stress. Five Signs It’s Time for an Eye Exam
Some common signs/symptoms you feel in your eyes could have different clinical causes. If you live in Lagos, it can be dangerous to assume they are just Lagos stress. There are many signs or symptoms, but you should pay particular attention to these five. They usually mean it’s time for an eye exam with your optometrist.
1. Forehead or temple tension
- Usual Assumption: “It’s just work stress.”
- Suspected cause: Uncorrected astigmatism or hyperopia
- Possible remedy: Refraction + appropriate corrective lenses
2. Holding your phone further away
- Usual Assumption: Poor screen quality
- Suspected cause: Presbyopia
- Possible remedy: Reading or progressive lenses
3. Halos around night headlights
- Usual Assumption: Dirty windscreen
- Suspected cause: Astigmatism or early lens changes
- Possible remedy: Comprehensive eye examination and appropriate prescription
4. Sandy or burning eyes
- Usual Assumption: “Apollo” / conjunctivitis
- Suspected cause: Dry eye syndrome or environmental allergy
- Possible remedy: Lubricating drops and/or allergy management after appropriate assessment
5. Blurred vision at the end of the day
- Usual Assumption: Tiredness or lack of sleep
- Suspected cause: Computer Vision Syndrome / digital eye strain
- Possible remedy: 20-20-20 rule, screen ergonomics and appropriate correction
You may need to read how to Love Your Eyes at Work
Why You Should Get Your Eyes Checked in Lagos
When you live in Lagos, your eyes are exposed to many environmental stressors, such as long periods of screen time and dense particulate dust from vehicles on the mainland and island pathways. Here are the five most important clinical warning signs that you should see a doctor about:
1. Headaches that won’t go away around the brow or temples
If you don’t treat refractive errors like astigmatism or farsightedness, the ciliary muscles inside your eye have to work hard all the time to keep pictures clear. These constant muscle contractions cause tension headaches that are worst in the late afternoon or after reading or driving for a long time.
2. Squinting or shoving books out of the way
Some people need to change the font size on their phone or put on their glasses to read small print. This condition is called presbyopia. This condition is a normal natural stiffening of the crystalline lens of the eye that usually starts in the late 30s or early 40s and needs precise progressive or single-vision reading lenses.
3. Eyes that are always red, feel rough, or have watery eyes
There are many irritants and dust in the air in Lagos, and the humidity changes along the coast. Many people in the area mistake red eyes that don’t go away for seasonal conjunctivitis (Apollo) and use any antibiotic drops they find. In reality, chronic irritation is usually caused by dry eye disease or allergic conjunctivitis, which gets worse when the wrong medicines are used to treat them.
4. Very bright glare and halos while driving at night
If you see spots, rings, or starbursts around streetlights and oncoming car headlights, it means you have an untreated cylindrical refractive error (astigmatism), corneal irregularities, or early changes in your eye lens. Specialized coats that don’t reflect light greatly lower glare when driving at night.
5. Digital Eye Strain from Long Screen Time
When corporate professionals and independent workers use digital devices for eight hours or more, their blink rates drop from about fifteen times per minute to about five to seven times.
This makes tears evaporate quickly, which causes blurred vision, burning eyes, and tightness in the neck. These symptoms are all part of a condition called computer vision syndrome.
Read to really understand: Comprehensive Eye Exam: What Is It and Do I Need It?
How Risky It Is to Use Chemist Drops on Your Own
Like many people would do, avoid buying eye drops from local shops without a prescription, which is very dangerous for their health. It’s better to see your optometrist if you notice any of those signs or symptoms. Your optometrist will also refer you to an ophthalmologist if you need more advanced care.
Steroid-Induced Glaucoma: Over-the-counter drops with corticosteroids can raise intraocular pressure (IOP) too high without warning, damaging the optic nerve in a way that can’t be fixed.
Corneal Toxicity: The thin epithelial surface of the cornea is damaged when the wrong antibiotic or decongestant drops are used for a long time.
Masked Infections: Generic drops can hide deeper fungal or bacterial infections while masking the signs on the surface.
These are just a few of the dangers that can arise from using or abusing over-the-counter medication. It’s always better to get a prescription from your doctor. NAFDAC keeps hammering on these over-the-counter drugs.
Follow the link in the article to learn more if one of your questions includes “Who Do I See: An Optician, Optometrist, or Ophthalmologist?”
What Happens During an Eye Exam for the Whole Family at Immalik Eyecare?
A basic vision test only checks how well you can read letters. A full clinical exam checks the health of your whole visual system. Some procedures during a comprehensive eye examination include but not limited to:
- Accurate measurement of spherical, cylinder, and axis values for far and near vision with digital and objective refraction.
- Tonometry, or IOP measurement, is a non-invasive way to check for glaucoma in people who don’t have any symptoms.
- Slit-lamp biomicroscopy is a way to look at the eyes, cornea, conjunctiva, and lens with a lot of power.
- During an ophthalmoscopy or fundus assessment, the doctor looks at the retina, macula, and optic nerve head. This test can also show early signs of diabetes and high blood pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions from Patients You May Have
How often should Lagos people get their eyes checked?
Every one to two years, adults between the ages of 18 and 60 should get a full eye exam. People who have diabetes, high blood pressure, nearsightedness, or a family history of glaucoma should get their eyes checked once a year or as often as their optician suggests.
What’s the difference between a vision screening and an eye exam?
Vision screenings are quick tests that check your ability to see things far away. They are often done at schools or driving license offices. Optometrists do full eye exams that check for refractive error, eye muscle balance, intraocular pressure, and overall eye health.
Can eye strain damage be fixed?
Digital eye strain doesn’t damage the eye’s structure permanently, but if you don’t do anything about it, it can cause headaches, lower work output, dry eyes, and constant tiredness.
Where in Lagos can I get an eye exam for my whole family?
Normally, you would search Google for terms like “optometry eye clinic near me,” “family eye clinic in Lagos,” or “optometrist near me” in Lagos, Nigeria. You will mostly see reliable optometry eye clinics.
At Immalik Eyecare, we care for the whole family. We offer full clinical eye exams, care for children’s eyes, refractive solutions, and management of ocular diseases. You can contact us
Frequently Asked Questions from Patients You May Have
How often should Lagos people get their eyes checked?
Every one to two years, adults between the ages of 18 and 60 should get a full eye exam. People who have diabetes, high blood pressure, nearsightedness, or a family history of glaucoma should get their eyes checked once a year or as often as their optician suggests.
What’s the difference between a vision screening and an eye exam?
Vision screenings are quick tests that check your ability to see things far away. They are often done at schools or driving license offices. Optometrists do full eye exams that check for refractive error, eye muscle balance, intraocular pressure, and overall eye health.
Can eye strain damage be fixed?
Digital eye strain doesn’t damage the eye’s structure permanently, but if you don’t do anything about it, it can cause headaches, lower work output, dry eyes, and constant tiredness.
Where in Lagos can I get an eye exam for my whole family?
Normally, you would search Google for terms like “optometry eye clinic near me,” “family eye clinic in Lagos,” or “optometrist near me” in Lagos, Nigeria. You will mostly see reliable optometry eye clinics.
At Immalik Eyecare, we care for the whole family. We offer full clinical eye exams, care for children’s eyes, refractive solutions, and management of ocular diseases. You can contact us
Don’t Ignore What Your Eyes Are Telling You
Some headaches, blurry vision, burning sensations, or nighttime glare in Lagos may not be signs of stress or tiredness. Your eyes might be trying to tell you something.
The good news is you don’t need to guess. A thorough eye exam can help find out if your symptoms are due to a refractive error, dry eyes, digital eye strain, or something else that needs more medical attention.
Families can get full eye exams and professional eye care at Immalik Eyecare in Egbeda, Lagos. Don’t wait until your vision gets worse to do something about the signs your eyes have been sending you.
Allow us to properly examine your eyes, figure out what’s wrong, and assist you in seeing clearly and confidently taking care of them.
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