Alongside the most common visual disorders (myopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, hyperopia...), new ailments such as visual fatigue can develop. With the digital age, our habits have changed. Our eyes are much more exposed to the many screens that surround us, whether at home or in the workplace. As a result, visual fatigue is on the rise.

Symptoms and causes of visual fatigue

With our increasingly connected lifestyles, nearly 60% of people are now affected by eye strain. The symptoms of eyestrain vary from person to person, but are generally as follows:

  • - Burning sensation in the eyes
  • - Watery eyes
  • - Blurred or double vision
  • - Tingling and irritation of the eyes
  • - Eyes sensitive to light
  • - Headaches
  • - Difficulty concentrating
  • - Neck and/or shoulder pain

Visual disorders are the 1st cause of visual fatigue. Myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, anisometropia, presbyopia... can be behind visual fatigue.

Prolonged staring at a screen can also be a cause of visual fatigue. Computer screens, televisions, tablets, smartphones, video games... force the eye to adapt to continuous close-up vision.

To ensure that these symptoms are not due to a pathology, it's important to consult an ophthalmologist.

Remedial solutions

When eyestrain is due to an eye condition, corrective glasses are prescribed. A change of habits may also be necessary to reduce eyestrain. Here are a few tips to apply on a daily basis:

  • - Consult your ophthalmologist to check whether this fatigue is due to a visual disorder.
  • - If you have to work at a computer screen for several hours, take 5-minute breaks every hour.
  • - Adapt the lighting to your workspace: avoid reflections on your screen, and make sure you have good lighting in your room.
  • - Don't sit too close to your screen.
  • - You can do a few exercises a day.

If you wear corrective glasses, you can also apply a blue-light filter to your lenses. Blue light is diffused by the LED screens we use every day. It can also contribute to visual fatigue. MyMonture offers you these anti blue light lenses. Contact our qualified opticians to find out more.