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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

Common causes of eyestrain include:

  • Extended use of a computer or digital electronic devices
  • Reading for extended periods
  • Other activities involving extended periods of intense focus and concentration, such as driving a vehicle
  • Exposure to bright light or glare
  • Straining to see in very dim light

Using a computer for long periods is one of the most common causes of eyestrain. This type of eyestrain is called computer vision syndrome. In some cases, an underlying eye problem such as eye muscle imbalance or uncorrected vision can cause or worsen computer eyestrain.

Risk factors 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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