Reading is a pleasure, and if it ceases to be, it could be the sign of a vision problem. This was warned by the College of Optometrists and Opticians of Catalonia (COOOC) in a statement published coinciding with the day of Sant Jordi, on World Book Day.
As they recall from COOOC, vision plays an essential role in reading, so when reading becomes something tedious, it can be because of a visual problem.
Experts explain that different aspects related to vision, such as peripheral vision, participate in the reading process, which is the ability to see elements that are not at the center of our visual field.
Peripheral vision allows us to switch from looking at a single word to a set of words as we read.
Not being able to read comfortably can imply the presence of some visual dysfunction, such as hypermetropia, they warn.
We can identify some symptoms that can alert us to possible vision problems. Gestures such as, for example, approaching or moving away the paper to try to focus better, or tilting the head, in addition to frequent headaches, seeing double words, feeling discomfort in the eyes, watering, or a permanent blink, are signs to keep in mind.
In the case of minors, an indicative sign of vision problems is the gesture they make with their finger to follow the line. Also, the problems of understanding the text or forgetting what they have just read can alert us to these possible problems.
Tips for Taking Care of Your Eyesight
To improve our visual health, the COOOC recommends following the five basic tips to enjoy it to the fullest.
First, using a reading distance of approximately 35 to 40 centimeters, if you need to move closer or away from the book, is perhaps due to some vision problem.
We must also make sure we have good lighting, preferably natural.
When reading, you have to take small breaks and look at the horizon to relax your eyes.
Adopting a good posture with the body at a right angle and blinking frequently is equally important for good visual health.
Finally, COOOC recommends undergoing regular eye exams to rule out any dysfunction that may go unnoticed.