What Is Eye Strain and How Can You Reduce It in the Digital Age

Introduction

Eye strain is when your eyes feel tired, uncomfortable, or irritated after looking at something for a long time. Many people experience it even if their vision is normal¹. Today, eye strain has become very common because of our increasing use of digital devices like computers, smartphones, and tablets. Long hours spent on screens can cause symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, dry, itchy, or watery eyes². Other factors, like poor lighting, not blinking enough, or sitting in the wrong posture, can make it worse¹. In this blog, we will see what is eye strain and what are the simple steps we can take to reduce it and protect our eyes in today’s digital world.

What is Eye Strain?

Eye strain is the fatigue or irritation felt in eyes because of how the eyes work and how they react to light. It usually happens when the eyes work hard for a long time, such as reading, writing, or looking at screens^1,3.

It can also develop after extended periods of tasks that require continuous visual attention, such as driving or detailed reading, as well as prolonged use of electronic devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Eye strain usually goes away after resting the eyes. However, it may cause tiredness and reduced alertness, which can affect work performance and daily activities, especially for individuals who cannot avoid visually demanding tasks. Although it does not cause permanent damage, it can reduce concentration and make a person feel fatigued, and may cause discomforting symptoms(discussed below)³.

Symptoms of Eye Strain

Eye strain can present in different ways. Changes in vision or other signs may show that the eyes are tired or overworked. Common eye strain symptoms include:

• Eyes that feel tired or heavy
• Eyes that burn, itch, or feel uncomfortable¹
• Eyes that feel dry or water excessively
• Increased sensitivity to bright or strong light
• Difficulty concentrating or staying focused
• Vision that is blurred or appears doubled
• Head pain or tension
• Discomfort in the neck, shoulders, or upper back
• Trouble keeping the eyes open³

These signs help people understand that they may have eye strain.

Common Causes for Eye Strain

Eye strain can be caused by many different factors related to how we use our eyes, the lighting around us, our posture, and the health of our eyes. They include:

• Reading or working in poor light
• Glare or reflections from screens (computer, tablet, phone)
• Sitting too close or too far from what you are looking at
• Long periods on screens without breaks
• Focusing too long on work or study
• Slouching or poor posture
• Uncorrected vision problems (near-sightedness, far-sightedness)
• Very bright or very dim lighting³

Other eye strain causes include dry eyes, uneven tear layers, or changes on the eye surface causing blurring and discomfort. Age, genetics, and individual differences also affect eye strain severity¹.

What is Digital Eye Strain?

Digital eye strain is a condition where prolonged use of digital screens causes eye and body discomfort. It can occur with computers, tablets, smartphones, and e-readers. According to the American Optometric Association, DES includes a group of vision problems and eye discomfort caused by extended screen use. Reports from The Vision Council show that nearly 70% of adults experience at least one symptom, highlighting how common this condition has become².

Causes of Eye Strain

Eye strain caused by screen use happens mainly because of how the eyes move and focus and problems related to dry eyes. Here are its common causes:

• Using computers, mobile phones, tablets, or other digital screens for a long time without rest which can tire the eyes.
• Staring at screens for long periods which needs the eyes to focus too much and can lead to blurred vision and eye discomfort.
• Blinking less while using screens which can cause dry eyes and a burning feeling.
• Bright light and glare coming from digital screens which can hurt the eyes and cause light sensitivity.
• Sitting in a bad posture while using devices which can cause neck and back pain, adding to overall discomfort⁴.

Symptoms of Eye Strain

Digital eye strain affects both the eyes and other parts of the body. The symptoms may appear after long periods of screen use. The eye-related symptoms include:

• Burning sensation in the eyes
• Watery eyes
• Redness of the eyes
• General eye discomfort after screen use
• Dry eyes
• Blurred vision
• Eye tiredness or eye strain

Sometimes, excessive screen use can cause a condition called asthenopia, which just means eye fatigue. It includes eye strain symptoms like headaches, tired eyes, blurred vision, and dry eyes. Other body symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Back pain, often caused by poor sitting posture while using digital devices²

Risk Factors of Eye Strain

Digital eye strain is more likely to affect certain people because of their age, eye condition, screen habits, and environment. The main risk factors are:

• Age: Common in older adults; children and teens are also at risk from prolonged screen use
• Gender: Females may experience more strain due to dry eyes caused by hormonal effects
• Vision problems: Uncorrected near or far sightedness increases strain
• Long screen time: Extended device use causes tired eyes, headaches, and blurred vision
• Contact lenses: Long hours in lenses worsen dryness and discomfort
• Environment & habits: Bright screens, glare, AC, low humidity, stress, and smoking can increase strain⁵.

Now that you understand what digital eye strain is, its causes, symptoms, and risk factors, you can take steps to protect your eyes and reduce discomfort during screen use.

How to Reduce Eye Strain?

Digital eye strain can be reduced by following proper eye care habits, correct screen use, and a healthy environment. They include

• Taking regular breaks: Taking short breaks during screen use helps the eyes relax and reduces tiredness and dryness.
• Blink awareness: While using digital screens, people blink less. Blinking regularly helps keep the eyes moist.
• Use of lubricating eye drops: Lubricating eye drops may help reduce dryness and eye discomfort during long screen use.
• Improving indoor conditions: Proper room humidity, especially in air-conditioned rooms, helps prevent eye dryness.
• Proper vision correction: Wearing correct spectacles or contact lenses for vision problems helps reduce eye strain while using screens.

Following these habits can help reduce eye strain and keep the eyes comfortable. In the next section, we will see simple eye exercises for eye strain⁵.

Exercises for Eye Strain

Eye exercises help relax the eye muscles and improve comfort during long periods of screen use. These exercises are simple and can be done at home or school.

1. Gaze Stabilisation Exercise

Sit comfortably and stretch one arm forward holding a card with an “X.” Move your arm slowly left and right while keeping your eyes on the “X.” Rest and repeat. Benefits: Improves focus, coordination, and may reduce screen-related eye strain.

2. Lid Squeeze Exercise

Sit or stand relaxed, gently close your eyes, squeeze your eyelids tightly for five seconds, then relax. Repeat a few times. Benefits: Strengthens eye muscles, reduces tiredness, and promotes relaxation.

3. Look-Around Exercise

Keep your head still and look up, holding five seconds, then down, left, and right. Repeat slowly. Benefits: Enhances eye movement and flexibility, eases stiffness, and reduces fatigue.

4. Surprise Exercise

Sit comfortably, open your eyes wide while raising your eyebrows. Hold for a few seconds, then relax. Repeat several times. Benefits: Activates eye muscles, boosts blood flow, and relieves discomfort⁶.

Practising these simple eye exercises for eye strain can support eye comfort, and in the next section, we will learn easy daily habits that can help protect the eyes from strain.

Tips to Prevent Eye Strain

Eye strain can be prevented by following healthy habits, using screens correctly, and maintaining a comfortable environment. These include

• Keep the screen at a safe distance: Using mobiles and computers too close to the eyes can cause eye strain. Keeping a distance of around 50 centimetres (40–75 cm) for laptops and computers, and at least 30 centimetres for smartphones and placing the screen slightly below eye level (about 10–20 degrees) helps protect the eyes.
• Adjust screen brightness: Very bright or very dull screens make the eyes work harder. Adjusting the brightness and contrast to match the room light can reduce eye discomfort^5,7.
• Avoid glare on the screen: Light coming directly from windows or bulbs can reflect on the screen and strain the eyes. Using the screen at the side of a window helps reduce glare.
• Use proper lighting while studying or working: Studying in a well-lit room helps the eyes see clearly and prevents tiredness and strain.
• Spend more time outdoors: Outdoor activities give the eyes a natural break from screens and help keep them healthy.
• Get regular eye check-ups: Eye tests help find vision problems early and prevent eye strain while using digital devices⁵.

Following these preventive steps can help protect the eyes and reduce discomfort caused by digital screens.

When to Consult a Doctor?

Eye strain usually temporary and gets better with rest and home care. But if it continues even after self-care, you should see a doctor³. Also, see a doctor if you have any of these:

• Severe eye pain lasting more than two days
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Blurred or reduced vision with strain
• Redness, swelling, discharge, or pressure in the eyes^7,8

Seeing a doctor makes sure there is no serious problem and helps keep your eyes healthy.

Conclusion

In today’s digital world, eye strain is common but usually goes away with rest. It happens because of long screen use, poor lighting, and dry eyes. Taking regular breaks, blinking often, keeping screens at a good distance, and doing simple eye exercises can help. Spending time outdoors and getting eye check-ups keeps eyes healthy. Persistent or severe symptoms should be checked by a doctor to rule out serious problems.

Also Read: Eye Pain: Causes, Treatment & Home Remedies

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

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8. Eye pain: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2024 [cited 2026 Feb 9]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003032.htm
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13. 13.Garlock M, Speth M, McEchron M. Computer vision syndrome and its relationship with sleep and fatigue in medical students. BMC Medical Education. 2025 Jul 7;25(1). Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-025-07503-1#ref-CR7
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