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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffCommon causes of eyestrain include:
- Extended use of a computer or video monitor
- Reading for extended periods
- Other activities involving extended periods of intense focus and concentration, such as using a microscope or 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.
References
- Eye comfort exercises. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/pdffiles/exercises.pdf. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Computers and your eyes. Prevent Blindness America. http://www.preventblindness.org/eye_problems/computers.html. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Computer workstations: Monitors. U.S. Department of Labor. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/components_monitors.html. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Computer vision syndrome. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x5374.xml. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Yan Z, et al. Computer vision syndrome: A widely spreading but largely unknown epidemic among computer users. Computers in Human Behavior. 2008;24:2026.
- Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 10, 2010.
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