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Asthenopia is a condition in which you experience symptoms such as eye strain and blurry vision. It is a common issue which many people experience, especially those who spend a lot of time looking at digital screens. Learn more about this condition and how to relieve your discomfort.

Find out if you need to see an optometrist by taking the Double Vision Quiz

What is Asthenopia?

Asthenopia is that feeling you may get where your eyes feel sore, achy, or tired. It is often experienced after spending an extended period of time looking at a computer or phone screen. Long periods spent reading, driving, or working on an intricate project can also cause asthenopia (essentially anything requiring long periods of focus from your eyes.

This occurs because of prolonged use of the muscles which control the movement of your eyes, and pupils.

Someone who has dry eyes or suffers from a vision problem and doesn’t use corrective lenses to correct problems like farsightedness, nearsightedness, or presbyopia, may be more likely to experience asthenopia.

What are Symptoms of Asthenopia?

In addition to the obvious fatigue due to eye strain, asthenopia can cause several other symptoms. These include:

Itching or burning eyes
Squinting
Dry eyes
Headaches, specifically around the eyes and forehead
Blurry or double vision
Eye twitches
Photophobia
Difficulty concentrating

You may also experience shoulder or neck pain since the physical positions which lead to eye strain can also strain certain muscles.

How is Asthenopia Diagnosed?

Very often, you will notice the symptoms of asthenopia yourself, though at times you might not notice them until you take a break from the activity causing the eye strain.

The effects of asthenopia generally only last for a short period, but they can linger for as long as a few hours. If this occurs often, it is advisable to consult with our eye doctor to try and determine if there is an underlying cause, or if there is something you can do to alleviate the symptoms. A comprehensive vision exam will detect if there is more going on than simple eye strain.

Frequent bouts of eye strain can lead to future instances that may see the symptoms develop faster, more often, and for longer periods.

Eye strain typically doesn’t cause any permanent damage or negatively affect your vision, but it can be troublesome enough to lower your quality of life, especially if you tend to spend a great deal of time looking at screens.

How is Asthenopia Treated?

In most cases, simply giving your eyes a rest and generally taking care of them will minimize and alleviate your eye strain.

You can also try adjusting the brightness of your computer or phone screens, or adjusting the overall light level in the room.

However, if there is an underlying cause leading to regular eye strain, then treating that condition will be the key to preventing further regular eye strain. If your eye strain is being caused by something like farsightedness or nearsightedness, then wearing the proper corrective lenses should mitigate the effects. If it is dry eye causing your asthenopia, then treating that condition should similarly relieve your eye strain.

Limiting your time in front of a screen and taking breaks, or sitting a bit further back from the screen, will relieve some of the stress on your eye muscles.

Vision Therapy as Treatment for Asthenopia

Vision therapy, performed by neuro-optometrists, can also be an effective treatment for asthenopia. It can help treat some underlying problems which may cause regular asthenopia, and, by improving your vision skills to better control eye movement, you can learn to prevent your eyes from straining as much.

Summary

Aesthenopia is a relatively common problem which has become more prevalent as we spend more time in front of screens. While it is a relatively minor condition, it can still have a negative impact on your quality of life, and should be addressed. If you are experiencing frequent symptoms of asthenopia,Book an Appointment to schedule a vision evaluation exam.

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At Amplify with Dr Wernick I was seeking help for seemingly intractable, probably age-related dryness. I've seen other doctors about it, and that has been helpful, but what he explained to me about it and the careful way he answered all my questions gave me so much more of a clear understanding of what is going on (and is not) that I am more able to implement all his and others' recommendations than I was before. And he gave me additional resources for further follow-up. I am most grateful.

Cynthia Norton
Wow! This is a great Eye Care medical facility. I was thoroughly examined by Dr. Pinkhasov for over 2 hours. She made sure to check my eyes for pretty much everything and patiently explained proper care for my eyes. They definitely know how to provide great care and treat their patients right. Now I know why they have such a great reputation and been around for so long.

Steve Fay
Dr. Kavner is a gifted diagnostician and orthoptic therapist. He treated me several decades ago for a condition similar to dyslexia. I was having migraines five times per week. I worked with him for about a year and I experienced tremendous improvement (down to 3-4 per year) that has lasted.

Mary K.
Dr. Kavner recommended two types of eye therapy for my daughter. One of them using bio-feedback. In just three sessions she is seeing considerably better. She shouted this morning: Ooh my God! I could not see these letters with my glasses on, and now I can see them without my glasses. If you are willing and able to invest in improving your vision, this is a good place to go to!

Peter G.
Dr. Kavner recommended two types of eye therapy for my daughter. One of them using bio-feedback. In just three sessions she is seeing considerably better. She shouted this morning: Ooh my God! I could not see these letters with my glasses on, and now I can see them without my glasses. If you are willing and able to invest in improving your vision, this is a good place to go to!

Kinkie F.