Eye Strain Or Asthenopia - Vision Express

Skip to content

• GlassesAll glasses
  • New glasses
  • Best sellers
  • Luxury glasses
  • Glasses under £50
  • Small glasses
  • Large glasses
  • Eyecare and accessories
  Offers
  • 50% off a 2nd pair
  Category
  • Women
  • Men
  • Unisex
  • Children
  Most popular styles
  • Round glasses
  • Aviator glasses
  • Cat eye glasses
  Discover glassesView all brands
  • Gucci
  • Oakley
  • Prada
  • Ray-Ban
  • Tom Ford
  View all exclusive brands
  • Seen
  • DbyD
  • Unofficial
  Buyers guides
  • Glasses buyers guide
  • Lens buyers guide
  • Varifocal glasses
  Featured content
  • Choosing the right frame colour
  • Face shape guide
  • Eyecare Plan - Spread the cost & save
  • Breakage & loss protection
  • Transitions® Gen S - Ultra dynamic lenses
• Contact lensesAll contact lenses
  • Daily disposables
  • Monthly reusables
  • Multifocal / Varifocal
  • Toric for astigmatism
  • Contact lens solution
  • Eye drops
  OffersDiscover contact lensesView all brands
  • Acuvue
  • Air Optix
  • Bausch & Lomb ULTRA
  • Dailies AquaComfort Plus®
  • Dailies Total 1®
  • Eyexpert
  • MiSight
  • MyDay
  • Precision 1™
  • Proclear
  • Total 30®
  Contact lens information
  • Types of contact lenses
  • Contact lens lifestyle tips
  • Contact lens eye test & check ups
  • Multifocal / varifocal contact lenses
  • Contact lenses for kids
  How to use contact lenses
  • How to put lenses in
  • How to remove lenses
  • Contact lens care
  Services
  • Book an appointment
  • Video contact lens check up
  • Manage my lenses
  • Free contact lens trial
  • Contact lens subscription
• SunglassesAll sunglasses
  • Prescription sunglasses
  • New sunglasses
  • Best Sellers
  • Designer sunglasses
  • Luxury sunglasses
  Offers
  • 50% off a 2nd pair
  • Up to 50% off sunglasses
  Sunglasses homeCategory
  • Women
  • Men
  • Unisex
  • Children
  Eyecare and accessoriesNew In
  • 🆕 Ski goggles
  View all brands
  • Armani Exchange
  • Gucci
  • Oakley
  • Prada
  • Ralph by Ralph Lauren
  • Ray-Ban
  • Tom Ford
  View all exclusive brands
  • Seen
  • Unofficial
  Sunglasses advice
  • Lens options and types
  • Sun eye health
  • Best sunglasses for...
  • Sunglasses for face shapes
  • Shape your summer
  • Sustainable styles
• AI glassesAll AI glassesRay-Ban Meta AI glasses
  • Shop Ray-Ban Meta
  • Learn more about Ray-Ban Meta
  • Find Ray-Ban Meta in store
  Oakley Meta performance AI glasses 🆕
  • Shop Oakley Meta
  • Learn more about Oakley Meta
  • Find Oakley Meta in store
• Hearing glassesNuance Audio hearing glasses
  • Shop Nuance Audio glasses
  • Learn more Nuance Audio
  • Nuance Audio Payment Plan
  • Find Nuance Audio In store
• OffersAll offers
  • 50% off a 2nd pair
  • Up to 50% off sunglasses
  • Student discount
  • Blue Light Card
• Eye testBook an eye test
  • Book an adult eye test
  • Book a childs eye test
  • Manage your appointment
  Find a store
  • Store A-Z
  • Opticians and Optometrists
  Eye test appointment information
  • Our appointment types
  • Advanced eye test
  • NHS funded eye test
  • Children's eye test
  • Your eye test explained
  • OCT 3D eye scan
  Contact lens appointments
  • Book a free contact lens assessment
  • Book a store contact lens check up
  • Book a video contact lens check up
  • Manage your appointment
  Contact lens appointment information
  • Contact lens free assessment and trial
  • Contact lens eye test & check up advice
  • Contact lens check ups
  • Contact lenses for children
• AdviceEye health & conditions
  • Eye conditions
  • Eye symptoms
  • How does my eye work?
  Children's eye health
  • Children's eye test
  • Lens options
  • Children's eyes in the sun
  • Contact lenses for children
  Advice
  • Caring for your eyes
  • Vitamins & supplements for eye health
  • Eye allergies
  • Itchy eyes
  • Taking care of your glasses
  • Cleaning your glasses
  • Repairing your glasses
  Frequently asked questions
  • Contact lenses FAQs
  • Children's eye health FAQs
  Blog - Latest articles
  • Think contact lenses aren’t for you? It might be time to reconsider.
  • Discover Transitions® Gen S™ lenses
  • See clearly through menopause - Empowering your eye health
  • Slim sunglasses for this season
  • Ray-Ban Reverse - Iconic styles reinvented
  • 6 ways to update your eyewear
  • Why you need two pairs of glasses
• My Account

Book appointmentHomeEye healthEye Strain

 

Eye strain (asthenopia)

What is eye strain and how can you avoid it?

Anyone who works long hours in front of a computer, reads a lot, or spends a lot of time on their mobile phone knows about eye strain. People who stay awake for most of the day, driving, reading and working, also tend to develop eye strain.

Eye strain can be a nuisance and can interfere with your daily activities. However, if consistently neglected, eye strain can worsen and may require serious treatment. To clarify, eye strain is not categorised as a disease, but rather as a symptom.¹

Anyone who works as a writer, or other visually intensive career, may experience these symptoms more regularly depending on the nature of their job. Although a career change is unlikely, they can certainly take preventative measures to ensure they do not strain their eyes.

How is eye strain caused?

Eye strain (which is medically referred to as asthenopia) is caused by ocular fatigue. When eye muscles are fixed on one object or task for long periods, blurry vision, headaches, and eye strain may result as a consequence. People who suffer from eye muscle strain might also experience double vision, headaches and/or migraines.

Eye strain symptoms may increase when you read fine print, use the computer at a short distance, read in weak lighting, or squint to see objects in the distance.

When eye muscles are tensed and overused, it leads to more distress on the nerves, further increasing eye strain. This can be the case for people who play computer games for extended hours without giving their eyes the chance to rest or blink at a normal pace. When their eyes are fixed in one direction, and in dim light, the eyes are exposed to heightened glare. This can increase the chance of developing dry eyes, since the eye isn’t blinking enough, resulting in an increase of eye strain pain.²

Another contributing factor to eye strain can be refractive errors in glasses. When this happens, it is highly recommended you visit your optometrist to have your lenses corrected. Other eye conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism play a role in the worsening of eye strain, headache and blurred vision.

Lastly, wearing glasses with an incorrect or outdated prescription can also be the cause of eye strain.

 

Eye strain symptoms

The most common signs of eye strain are:³

• Soreness of the eyes
• Dryness and discomfort
• Blurry, hazy vision
• Sore back and neck
• Double vision
• Difficulty focusing and concentrating on objects
• Sensitivity to light – both natural and artificial
• Feeling a tight sensation in the temples and forehead
• Frequent headaches such as migraines

 

Types of eye strain

A common term for general eye strain is asthenopia. This is when the eyes ache and feel fatigued. Types of eye strain range from CVS (computer vision syndrome) to astigmatism. You might get CVS after reading a computer or mobile phone screen for several hours. When your eye muscles are working for long hours, your pupils find it difficult to absorb the consistent exposure to rays without a break, leading to the eye's exhaustion. Astigmatism shares some symptoms in common with CVS; however, this type of eye strain is due to the improper curve of the cornea. This may create eye strain because of the extra effort needed to focus when you have blurred vision.

The way to counter this is by investing in glasses. Wearing glasses may increase your vision whilst also reducing the burden on your eyes. We also recommend you get plenty of sleep to thoroughly rest your eyes. Other solutions, such as adjusting your screen's glare, or switching up the light settings in your room, may also provide eye strain relief. All of these options can reduce eye strain and improve eye health.⁴

 

 

Is there a treatment or permanent solution for eye strain?

Sitting for hours in one spot, scrolling through your screen, or writing continuously seems to be one of the main causes of eye strain. The increase of this cause has resulted in the new term CVS, meaning computer vision syndrome.

Eye strain varies according to lifestyle. With or without CVS, degrees of eye strain range from mild to severe. In most cases, eye strain can go away after taking some rest from the activity you were focused on.⁵

Regardless of the situation, eye strain should not be ignored. Neglecting eye strain can lead to long-term consequences, such as changes in eyesight, watery eyes, or possibly other eye conditions.

Of course, prevention is always better than seeking a cure. Come to one of our stores for your regular eye examination.

Eye strain treatment

Here are some ways eye strain can be prevented, reduced, and sometimes even eliminated:⁶,⁷

• Give your eyes plenty of rest: There is nothing like closing your eyes and feeling that cooling sensation after a long, hectic day. Even though you may not be able to close your eyes for long, take a moment to close them for a few seconds when possible.
• Adjust the lighting: The type of light we work in plays a key role in eye health. Avoid working and reading in poor light, and wherever possible, replace it with a more natural light such as sunlight.
• Use of computers and mobile phones: Our everyday life revolves around these two devices. Although you usually cannot stop using your computer, laptop or mobile phone, you can set your screen brightness to a more appropriate level for reading.
• Take frequent breaks: Doing any task for a long time in one spot can be both visually and physically tiring. Get up and take a brief walk for a few minutes. You may also want to add in some stretches and practice eye exercises such as the 20–20–20 rule: after 20 minutes of nearby work, look at something about 20 feet away and focus on it for 20 seconds.

 

Medically reviewed by Peena Govind on September 29, 2022

Sources

¹ American Association of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-eye-strain

² https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21059-eye-strain#symptoms-and-causes

³ American Optometric Association. https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y

⁴ Amy L Sheppard and James S Wolffsohn. “Digital eye strain: prevalence, measurement and amelioration”. Open Ophtalmol (2018): 3:1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6020759/

⁵ American Association of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-eye-strain

⁶ American Optometric Association. https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y

⁷ American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/computer-usage

Back to overview 

Related topics:

Myopia

• What is it?
• How to treat it?

Astigmatism

• What is it?
• How to treat it?

Red eyes

• What is it?
• How to treat it?

Cataracts

• What is it?
• How to treat it?

Sign up to our emails for exclusive offers, new styles & more and get £10 off!

Sign up

By clicking “Sign up”, you agree that we may process your personal data to send you emails about our latest news, collections and special offers in line with our Privacy Policy.

*£10 off is valid on orders of £100 or more. Excludes other discounts and offers. You can unsubscribe at any time.