Is squinting bad for your eyes?

The act of squinting and its causes

Do you find yourself squinting when you walk outside? Perhaps you've noticed yourself squinting at your phone or when trying to read traffic signs. While squinting isn't necessarily damaging to your eyes, it's important to figure out why it's occurring and take steps to correct the underlying issue.

What is squinting?

Squinting is a way to regulate how much light enters your eye. When you're surrounded by darkness, your pupils enlarge to let more light in — and when it's bright out, your pupil contracts to protect your eye against all that light. 

That's where squinting comes in. When you squint, you change the shape of your eye a bit (making it easier to see those road signs, thank goodness). You also restrict the light rays reaching your retina, making it easy to see in bright environments.

Common causes of squinting

You might squint because you need glasses due to refractive errors or astigmatism or you're just fighting off too much light. Children often squint because they have strabismus, AKA crossed eyes. Take a look at the most common causes of squinting:

• Myopia: With nearsightedness, you can see things close up but have poor vision for things in the distance.
• Hyperopia: With farsightedness, you see things that are far away clearly but have blurry vision for nearby objects.
• Presbyopia: As you get older, you have blurred vision and often end up squinting to try to read.
• Strabismus: This common childhood eye disease involves eyes that are misaligned. Sometimes, this results in crossed eyes — and pretty much always, it results in kids squinting to try to see clearly.

Too much light: You step into bright sunlight, and you squint automatically to protect your eyes.

Effects on eye muscles

While strabismus can involve controlling the muscles of the eye, usually squinting doesn't affect the eye muscles much — though it can have some negative consequences in other ways.

Potential risks and consequences

Temporary discomfort

When you squint, you over contract your facial muscles. For some people, it hurts, and it can even cause headaches, especially if you’re a chronic squinter.

Vision problems

Squinting is often a sign of already-existing vision problems. You squint to try to change how your eye is focusing — and you do that because you need glasses or contacts.

For kids, squinting can be a sign of strabismus. The eyes squint to focus because of the double vision that strabismus causes. If left untreated, the child could end up with lazy eye — and that's a long-term problem.

Wrinkles and skin damage

When you squint, you scrunch up the muscles around the outside of the eye — and yes, your face will freeze that way. Ok, not really, but it can lead to increased fine lines and wrinkles.

Prevention and addressing squinting

The good news: You can take proactive steps to avoid and prevent squinting. Keep reading to learn more.

Protective eyewear and sunglasses

Sunglasses can do more than just make you look cool. Invest in prescription sunglasses to deal with light sensitivity. When you want to pop a pair of shades over your contacts, look for sunglasses that provide maximum UV protection.

Vision correction

Are you squinting because you can't see? Then it's time to get to your eye care professional and have your eyes tested. You may need a stronger prescription or reading glasses. Once you correct your vision, you'll be able to see clearly without squinting.

Eye exercises and relaxation techniques

When squinting leads to dry eye, eye fatigue, and digital eye strain (think about those hours in front of your computer screen), relaxation techniques can make a difference. Try looking away from the screen a few times an hour or step outside to refocus.

Kids with strabismus also benefit greatly from eye exercises, such as "pencil push-ups," in which they focus both eyes on a pencil held at a distance and then moved toward the nose. Exercises alone won't repair the condition, however, so schedule a comprehensive eye exam to see if eye surgery is needed.

It's time to stop squinting

You don't have to squint your way into your future, with all the discomfort (and wrinkles!) it causes. If you're having trouble focusing, get to an eye care professional right away to get your vision corrected. If you squint in bright light, it's time for sunglasses. Getting regular eye exams and taking preventive measures can make all the difference for your eye health and comfort. At 1-800 Contacts, we can help you find the brand of contacts your eye care professional prescribed to get you started.

FAQs

Can squinting cause permanent damage to my eyes?

While squinting doesn't damage your eyes, it can have permanent effects on the skin around your eyes, and it can be a sign of existing vision problems.

What should I do if I find myself squinting frequently?

Start by making an eye doctor appointment to check your vision prescription and get new glasses or contacts.

Can sunglasses protect my eyes from the harmful effects of squinting?

Yes. Sunglasses protect your eyes against too much light, making it less likely that you'll squint.