Some people get around this by drilling a larger diameter pilot hole so the threads don't have to work through as much material - but this weakens the connection with the wood. For eye hooks designed to hold heavy loads or safety-critical applications (hammocks, porch swings, punching bags, and so forth), you don't want to sacrifice strength for convenience. The pilot hole should be no bigger than the inside shaft diameter of the eye screw.
Another workaround involves first getting the eye screw hand-tight, then inserting a screwdriver or rod into the "eye" and using that as a lever to complete the turns. This works, but can be inconvenient in tight quarters and may require constantly removing and re-inserting the lever piece to complete the turns. It is also difficult to get the screwdriver approach to work with "ceiling hooks", which have an open end (as shown in the video) that prevent getting proper leverage with the assist.
A small socket wrench, however, will make quick work of it:
