What Is Eye Strain?

Eye strain, also called asthenopia, refers to a group of symptoms that occur when your eyes get tired from intense use. It’s especially common in today’s digital age, where screens are central to both work and leisure. Eye strain is usually temporary and should ease once your eyes get a chance to rest — it doesn’t cause permanent damage to your eyes or your vision. The good news is, with the right strategies and care, most eye strain can be prevented or significantly reduced.

Common Symptoms of Eye Strain

Recognising eye strain early can help you address it before it affects your productivity and comfort. Symptoms may vary, but often include:

• Headaches: Persistent or recurring headaches after visual tasks like screen use or reading.
• Blurry or Double Vision: Difficulty focusing clearly, especially during or after intensive tasks.
• Dry or Watery Eyes: Screen use often reduces blink rate, leading to dry irritated eyes.
• Eye Soreness or Tension: Burning, itching, or a tired feeling around the eyes.
• Sensitivity to Light: Increased discomfort in bright environments.
• Difficulty Refocusing: Struggling to switch focus between near and far tasks.
• Twitching Eyelids: Involuntary eyelid spasms brought on by tired eye muscles.
• Neck, Shoulder or Back Pain: Poor posture while straining to focus, especially at a screen, can cause tension beyond the eyes themselves.

What Causes Eye Strain?

There’s no single cause of eye strain; rather, several everyday factors contribute to it:

Prolonged Screen Time

Long hours spent in front of computers, tablets, or phones is one of the most common culprits. Concentrating on close-up tasks reduces blinking and stresses your eye muscles. Computer use strains eyes more than reading print material because people tend to:

• Blink less whilst using computers, and blinking is key to moistening the eyes
• View digital screens at less-than-ideal distances or angles
• Use devices that have glare or reflection
• Use devices with poor contrast between the text and the background

Additionally, people who work with electronic screens are prone to eye conditions such as Computer Vision Syndrome, which is common among people who use VDU (Visual Display Units) screens at work. These screens can cause stress and eye issues.

To find out more about Computer Vision Syndrome, read our guide here.

Extended Reading or Close Work

Reading small print or focusing on intricate tasks for long periods can fatigue your eye muscles.

Visual Tasks on the Move

Driving for long distances, particularly in the dark, can cause visual fatigue.

Inadequate Lighting

Too much glare or very dim light forces your eyes to work harder.

Stress and Fatigue

General tiredness can amplify eye strain symptoms, even with normal visual activities.

Understanding Ocular Surface Disease

For some people, persistent eye strain is linked to ocular surface disease — a condition where the surface of the eye dries out more quickly than usual, and doesn’t have enough natural lubrication to repair itself. This makes the eye’s surface film prone to tearing, leaving the eyes feeling drained, gritty and tired, and can make it harder to focus on objects. If eye strain keeps coming back despite good screen habits and regular breaks, this may be a contributing factor worth raising with your optometrist. Our complete guide to dry eye covers the causes, diagnosis and treatment options, including IPL therapy, in much more depth.

Solutions for Relief

Take Regular Breaks

Use the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps your eye muscles relax and reduces fatigue during long screen sessions.

Optimise Your Environment

• Ensure balanced lighting with minimal glare
• Position your monitor at a comfortable distance (20-24 inches from your eyes) and slightly below eye level (10-15 degrees below)
• Adjust screen brightness and contrast to suit your surroundings

Wear The Correct Eyewear

If you’re already struggling with eye strain, your prescription may need updating or your glasses may not be optimised for screen work.

Keep Your Eyes Hydrated

When focusing, we blink less, which dries out the eyes. Try to blink regularly and use lubricating eye drops if your eyes feel dry or irritated.

Improve the Air Quality of Your Space

Some changes that may help prevent dry eyes include using a humidifier, adjusting the thermostat to reduce blowing air, and avoiding smoke.

Professional Eye Examinations

Routine eye exams are central to healthy vision and comfort. During your appointment at D.I. Blow Opticians, we’ll:

• Evaluate your visual demands and screen habits
• Screen for underlying issues like dry eye or uncorrected prescription changes
• Recommend personalised solutions, including tailored lenses or lifestyle adjustments

When to Seek Expert Care

Most eye strain can be reduced with lifestyle adjustments and appropriate eyewear. However, if symptoms persist despite taking breaks and improving your visual habits, it’s advisable to consult a professional. Persistent strain can sometimes signal underlying conditions, such as dry eye syndrome or vision changes, that require tailored care.

At D.I. Blow Opticians, we use advanced diagnostic tools, including retinal imaging and OCT scanning, as part of our comprehensive eye exams to ensure your eyes are healthy and your vision needs are fully understood.

Eye strain doesn’t have to be an unavoidable part of daily life. With the right approach, combining smart visual habits, ergonomic setups, and professional care, you can reduce discomfort and protect your long-term eye health.

Book an eye examination with D.I. Blow Opticians to get expert advice and solutions tailored to your vision and lifestyle, whether it’s digital strain, updated prescriptions, or specialised lenses that you need.

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Eye fatigue is usually temporary and should improve on its own if your eyes are given a chance to rest. Eye strain does not permanently harm your eyes or affect your vision.

Symptoms

Eye fatigue symptoms may include:
• Sore, itching or burning eyes
• Watery or dry eyes
• Tired or heavy eyelids that may be difficult to keep open
• Blurred or double vision
• Difficulty focusing
• Eye or eyelid spasms
• Headache
• Neck, shoulder, or back pain
• Increased sensitivity to light

Causes

There are several factors that can cause eye fatigue. The most common causes of eye fatigue are:
• Use of screened devices such as computers, smartphones, or television without regular breaks.
• Prolonged focus on reading materials.
• Driving for long distances.
• Straining to see in low light.
• Glare or very bright light.
• Being exposed to dry, circulating air.
• Stress or tiredness.

Ocular Surface Disease

Some people suffer from what is known as an ocular surface disease, a disease that makes the surface of the eye dry out more quickly than usual and can cause difficulty in focusing on objects. With this disease the eye’s surface doesn’t have enough natural lubrication. This means that the eye’s surface film is prone to tear and cannot easily repair itself. This dryness causes the eyes to feel drained and tired, and results in eye fatigue.

Prevention

The best way to combat eye fatigue is through prevention and by making small changes to your behaviour and environment.

• Take regular breaks when looking at a screen, book, or anything that requires your eyes to focus for an extended period.
• Wear appropriate prescription eyewear.
• Place digital screens further away from you, further than you would position reading material. Ensure screens are clean and match the display brightness to your surroundings.
• Maintain eye moisture by blinking regularly (we often blink less when focusing) and use eye drops that improve eye lubrication or prevent dry eyes.
• Point fans or heaters that circulate air away from your face and use a humidifier if your environment feels too dry.
• Reduce exposure to glare by adjusting the lighting around you to cut down on the glare coming from your computer screen. Think about installing a dimmer switch to cut down on glare, or a glare filter on to your monitor.
• If you wear contact lenses, give your eyes a break by wearing your glasses.
• Have regular eye exams.

If you’re still experiencing eye fatigue after following the steps above, consult your optometrist.

Eye strain is common, especially in people with uncorrected vision problems. If you’re experiencing frequent eye strain, you could have a vision problem and need to be seen by an optometrist as soon as possible.

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