eye strain

{{Short description|Discomfort following extended visual tasks}}

{{more citations needed|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox medical condition

| name = Eye strain

| synonym = Asthenopia, aesthenopia, eyestrain

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| field = Ophthalmology

| symptoms = Headache, blurred vision, eye discomfort, and light sensitivity

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Eye strain, also medically termed as asthenopia ({{ety||{{linktext|astheno-}}|loss of strength||{{linktext|-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.{{Cite journal |last1=Sheedy |first1=James E. |last2=Hayes |first2=John N. |last3=Engle |first3=Jon |date=November 2003 |title=Is all asthenopia the same? |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14627938 |journal=Optometry and Vision Science|volume=80 |issue=11 |pages=732–739 |doi=10.1097/00006324-200311000-00008 |issn=1040-5488 |pmid=14627938|s2cid=16299425 }}

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.{{cite journal |last1=FT |first1=Vaz |last2=SP |first2=Henriques |last3=DS |first3=Silva |last4=J |first4=Roque |last5=AS |first5=Lopes |last6=M |first6=Mota |date=April 2019 |title=Digital Asthenopia: Portuguese Group of Ergophthalmology Survey |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31067419/ |journal=Acta Med Port |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=260–265 |doi=10.20344/amp.10942 |pmid=31067419 |s2cid=148571110 |hdl-access=free |hdl=10400.10/2236}} Various causes contribute to eye strain, including uncorrected vision problems,{{Citation |title=Chapter 7 - History taking |date=2013-01-01 |work=The Ophthalmic Assistant (Ninth Edition) |pages=99–110 |editor-last=Stein |editor-first=Harold A |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/B9781455710690000074 |access-date=2025-04-14 |place=London |publisher=W.B. Saunders |doi=10.1016/b978-1-4557-1069-0.00007-4 |isbn=978-1-4557-1069-0 |editor2-last=Stein |editor2-first=Raymond M |editor3-last=Freeman |editor3-first=Melvin I}}{{Cite journal |last1=García-Muñoz |first1=Ángel |last2=Carbonell-Bonete |first2=Stela |last3=Cacho-Martínez |first3=Pilar |date=2014-10-01 |title=Symptomatology associated with accommodative and binocular vision anomalies |journal=Journal of Optometry |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=178–192 |doi=10.1016/j.optom.2014.06.005 |issn=1888-4296 |pmc=4213865 |pmid=25323640}} digital device usage,{{Cite journal |last1=Antona |first1=Beatriz |last2=Barrio |first2=Ana Rosa |last3=Gascó |first3=Adriana |last4=Pinar |first4=Ana |last5=González-Pérez |first5=Mariano |last6=Puell |first6=María C. |date=2018-04-01 |title=Symptoms associated with reading from a smartphone in conditions of light and dark |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003687017302351 |journal=Applied Ergonomics |volume=68 |pages=12–17 |doi=10.1016/j.apergo.2017.10.014 |pmid=29409625 |issn=0003-6870}}{{Cite journal |last=Shukla |first=Yogesh |date=August 2020 |title=Accommodative anomalies in children |journal=Indian Journal of Ophthalmology |volume=68 |issue=8 |pages=1520–1525 |doi=10.4103/ijo.IJO_1973_18 |doi-access=free |issn=1998-3689 |pmc=7640847 |pmid=32709767 }} environmental factors, and underlying health conditions. 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.{{cite journal |last1=S |first1=Lertwisuttipaiboon |last2=T |first2=Pumpaibool |last3=KJ |first3=Neeser |last4=N |first4=Kasetsuwan |date=May 2017 |title=Effectiveness of a participatory eye care program in reducing eye strain among staff computer users in Thailand |journal=Risk Manag Healthc Policy |volume=10 |pages=71–80 |doi=10.2147/RMHP.S134940 |pmc=5436759 |pmid=28546777 |doi-access=free}} These symptoms are broadly classified into external (related to the ocular surface) and internal symptom factors (related to eye muscles).

Treatment involves environmental modifications, visual aids, and taking periodic breaks. 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.Rachel C. Vreeman, Aaron E. Carroll, "Medical Myths", The British Medical Journal (now called The BMJ) 335:1288 (December 20, 2007), {{doi|10.1136/bmj.39420.420370.25}}