Your eyes are focussing and can get strained when knitting, especially if the light is low in the evening or you’re knitting with 4ply yarn or even thinner. Your eyes might start aching if you’re knitting a pattern using lace or colour techniques where you have to look at every stitch to be sure you’re not making mistakes.
There are times when I’m knitting that my husband will enter the room and say ‘light and curtains!’ He literally means, ‘what are you doing Hannah! How can you see what you’re doing in this dreadful light!’
I’ve been so engrossed in counting stitches or focussing on a repetitive stitch pattern that soon as I look up and realise the light has changed so dramatically in the last half-hour, it seems so obvious that I’m straining my eyes.
Taking breaks is something that I will always advocate and beginning to practice yoga, to give a little therapy for the parts of your body that you use when knitting, is the perfect tool to learn.
But of course be aware: this is not medical advice.
See a doctor, optician, or other medical professional if you need extra support and stop if you feel discomfort while practising.