Eye strain
Discomfort following extended visual tasks From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eye strain, also medically termed as asthenopia (from astheno- 'loss of strength' and -opia 'relating to the eyes'), is a common eye condition characterized by non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, pain in or around the eyes, blurred vision, headache, and occasional double vision.[1]
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| Eye strain | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Asthenopia, aesthenopia, eyestrain |
| Specialty | Ophthalmology |
| Symptoms | Headache, blurred vision, eye discomfort, and light sensitivity |
These symptoms tend to arise after long-term use of computers, staring at phone screens, digital devices, reading, or other activities that involve extended visual tasks.[2] Various causes contribute to eye strain, including uncorrected vision problems,[1][3][4] digital device usage,[5][6] environmental factors,[1] and underlying health conditions.[3] When concentrating on a visually intense task, such as continuously focusing on a book or computer monitor, the ciliary muscles and the extraocular muscles are strained, also contributing to the symptoms.[7] These symptoms are broadly classified into external (related to the ocular surface) and internal symptom factors (related to eye muscles).[1]
Treatment involves environmental modifications, visual aids,[7] and taking periodic breaks.[7][8] The experience of eye strain when reading in dim light has given rise to the common misconception that such an activity causes permanent eye damage.[9]
Causes
Asthenopia can result from various factors. These causes can be categorized as ocular issues,[1][3][4] digital use patterns,[5][6] evironmental factors,[1] or underlying health conditions,[3] including:[1][4]
- Uncorrected refractive errors (Astigatism, Hyperopia, Anisometropia, etc.)[6]
- Eye movement coordination
- Accommodative[6] and vergence stress
- Glare
- Flickering lights
Symptoms
Eye strain's symptoms can be broken into two groups: Internal Symptom Factors (ISF) and External Symptom Factors (ESF).[1] ESFs comprise of symptoms related to dry-eye such as burning and irritation, seemingly linked to the ocular surface.[1] ISFs are related to pain and ache sensations behind the eye and are linked to accomodative and vergence stress, caused by poor visual conditions.[1][10]
Symptoms of eye strain can include:[1][5][6][10]
- blurred vision
- headache
- sore, irritated, burning, or itching eyes
- dry eyes or watery eyes
- eye discomfort
- difficulty concentrating
- sensitivity to bright lights
Therapy
Given that asthenopia is caused by different factors, treatment may involve the work environment or visual conditions.[1] One known method of relieving strain of the ocular muscles is taking periodic breaks by closing the eyes[7] and blinking frequently.[8] Often found in connection to Digital Eye Strain (DES), eye strain can be reduced by following the 20-20-20 rule, which consists of looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.[8]
See also
References
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