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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Eyestrain occurs when your eyes get tired from intense use, such as driving a car for extended periods, reading or working at a computer.

Although eyestrain can be annoying, it usually isn't serious and goes away once you rest your eyes. In some cases, signs and symptoms of eyestrain can indicate an underlying eye condition that needs treatment. Although you may not be able to change the nature of your job or all the factors that can cause eyestrain, you can take steps to reduce eyestrain.

Symptoms
References
  1. Computers and your eyes. Prevent Blindness America. http://www.preventblindness.org/computers-and-your-eyes. Accessed July 26, 2012.
  2. Rosenfield M. Computer vision syndrome: A review of ocular causes and potential treatments. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. 2011;31:502.
  3. Eye health tips. National Eye Institute. http://www.nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes/eyehealthtips.asp. Accessed July 26, 2012.
  4. Computer vision syndrome (CVS). American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x5374.xml. Accessed July 26, 2012.
  5. Computer vision syndrome symptoms. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x5375.xml. Accessed July 26, 2012.
  6. Computer workstations. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/components_monitors.html. Accessed July 26, 2012.
  7. The effects of video display terminal use on eye health and vision. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x5380.xml. Accessed July 26, 2012.
  8. Computers. Division of Occupational and Health Safety. http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/sr/dohs/HealthAndSafety/Ergonomics/atwork/Pages/ergo_computers.aspx#topSEE. Accessed Aug. 1, 2012.
  9. Tribley J, et al. Tips for computer vision syndrome relief and prevention. Work. 2011;39:85.
  10. Yan Z, et al. Computer vision syndrome: A widely spreading but largely unknown epidemic among computer users. Computers in Human Behavior. 2008;24:2026.
  11. Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 17, 2012.
DS01084 Sept. 19, 2012

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