Eye Fatigue: Definition, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Eye fatigue is a term used to describe a common eye condition caused by the eyes intensely concentrating on certain tasks, leading to eye discomfort. This article will discuss the eye fatigue definition, eye fatigue causes, symptoms and eye fatigue treatments. Fatigue in the eye may occur due to any strenuous or intense use of the eyes such as reading or looking at digital screens. The main symptoms of fatigue in the eye include irritated, sore, dry and watery eyes and trouble focusing, with treatments involving lifestyle changes such as reducing time spent on screens and using artificial tears to reduce irritation. Eye fatigue is also known as eye strain and can be prevented by making small adjustments to your everyday routine.

What is Eye Fatigue?

Eye fatigue is a very common eye problem that typically doesn’t pose any threat to eye health or overall health. It is caused by the eyes concentrating on tasks or objects for a long period of time, which may lead to sensitivity to light, dry or watery eyes and blurred eyesight. According to Good Vision for Life, an Optometry Australia initiative, focusing up close on something for a long time causes the eyes to exert intense focusing effort to make the objects appear clear, fatiguing the muscles of the eye and not giving them a chance to rest.

What are the Other Terms for Eye Fatigue?

The other terms for eye fatigue include asthenopia, eye strain, ocular fatigue and tired eyes. Asthenopia is the scientific term for eye fatigue and is used in more professional settings to describe this eye condition. Eye strain is more commonly used to describe eye fatigue and is also referred to as digital eye strain when it is caused by extended periods spent looking at digital screens.

How Common is Eye Fatigue?

Eye fatigue is a common eye condition that can be caused by many everyday tasks such as reading and driving. Due to the increased prevalence of digital screens such as phones and laptops, digital eye strain has become very common due to intense and prolonged concentration on these screens.

What are the Causes of Eye Fatigue?

There are three main causes of eye fatigue and one rare cause, these include writing and typing, driving long distances, no breaks for eye rest when reading and chronic fatigue syndrome (rare). These causes of eye fatigue and their definitions are listed below.

Writing and typing: Similar to reading, writing is a cause of eye fatigue as the eyes pay close attention to the words that are written.
Driving long distances: Driving requires significant concentration as you need to be aware of road signs, other cars and your car in relation to it’s surroundings. This intense concentration may cause the eyes to become fatigued.
No breaks for eye rest when reading: Reading requires the eyes to intensely concentrate on small text and it can be even more likely to cause eye fatigue when using a digital screen to read.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (rare): Chronic fatigue may be a rare cause of eye strain among other eye-related symptoms such as trouble focusing on images and dry eye.

1. Writing and Typing

Writing and typing, like reading, requires intense concentration of the eyes on typically small text, which may cause eye fatigue. Taking breaks can reduce the symptoms of eye fatigue as it allows the eyes to rest and relax from their intense focus. If you find your eyes becoming fatigued or strained when writing or typing on a computer or laptop, you may also have a refractive error that could be aggravating these symptoms as the eyes are working extra hard to see clearly.

2. Driving Long Distances

Driving, especially long distances, can cause eye fatigue and strain as the eyes have to constantly be concentrating on road signs, other cars and your car in relation to it’s surroundings. You can manage eye fatigue by pulling over to rest the eyes when on a long journey giving them a break from intense concentration. Cold air blowing over the eyes also induces eye strain by making them dry, further irritating the eyes. Try aiming the air vents away from your face while driving to reduce dry eyes and eye fatigue.

3. No Breaks for Eye Rest When Reading

Reading for extended periods of time, especially on a screen, may cause eye fatigue. The extended intense concentration of reading can make the eyes feel tired and sore and sometimes create a burning sensation in the eye, leading to eye strain. Reading on screens such as a computer for work, on a tablet or on an eReader can cause eye fatigue due to the glare. It is important to take breaks from reading to interrupt concentration. Reading glasses may be used to reduce eye strain by correcting the refractive error of farsightedness.

4. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Rare)

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a long-term, complex illness that affects many of the body's systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic fatigue syndrome may confine a person to their bed and includes symptoms of overwhelming fatigue. Chronic fatigue may be a rare cause of eye strain among other eye-related symptoms such as dry eye and trouble focusing on images.

What are the Medical Conditions that Cause Eye Fatigue?

There are no specific medical conditions that cause eye fatigue, rather it is commonly situational. For example, the eyes can become fatigued after staring at a computer screen for too long, or reading in dim lighting.

What are the Symptoms of Eye Fatigue?

The most prevalent symptoms of eye fatigue include trouble focusing, double or blurred vision, sore or irritated eyes, increased sensitivity to light, dry eyes and headaches. The symptoms of eye fatigue and their definitions are listed below.

Trouble focusing: When the eyes focus too long and intensely on one task it can overtax the eyes making it difficult to focus.
Double or blurred vision: Blurred or double vision can occur due to eye fatigue as the eyes are struggling to focus and blink less.
Sore or irritated eyes: The eyes can become sore and irritated if they are concentrating for long periods of time.
Increased sensitivity to light: An increased sensitivity to light, also known as photophobia, is a symptom of eye fatigue.
Dry eyes: If the eyes focus intensely for a long time, the eyes blink less potentially leading to dry eyes.
Headaches: Headaches may be caused by eye fatigue but they are typically very mild and do not limit your ability to function.

1. Trouble Focusing

Eye fatigue and strain may cause trouble focusing as the eyes are tired and irritated. If you are struggling to focus on the task at hand, take a short break to allow your eyes to rest. Trouble focusing can also be caused by decreased blinking as the eyes become dry, making them uncomfortable. Focusing can often become an issue when working on a digital screen as it requires additional demand on your vision.

2. Double or blurred Vision

Blurred or double vision is a symptom of eye fatigue, caused by the eyes struggling to focus due to eye strain. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, eye fatigue is caused by decreased blinking which exposes the eye surface to more air. This causes holes to appear in the tear film, leading to an irregular corneal surface which may result in blurred vision. Making sure to blink when looking at a digital screen and taking time to rest the eyes may prevent this symptom of eye fatigue.

3. Sore or Irritated Eyes

Sore or irritated eyes are common symptoms of eye fatigue and strain. Sore and irritated eyes can be caused by many different things such as staring at a computer screen for too long, looking at bright lights in the evening and concentrating for a long time on tasks such as reading. Taking frequent breaks between tasks that require a lot of concentration and attention can prevent sore or irritated eyes.

4. Increased Sensitivity to Light

Increased sensitivity to light, also known as photophobia, can occur as a result of eye fatigue or eye strain causing the eyes to struggle to look at bright light. When working on a digital screen in the evening, you can reduce your sensitivity to light by dimming the screen brightness, turning on a blue light filter or making the screen a warmer hue. Glare can also cause a sensitivity to light as the brightness impedes your vision.

Light sensitivity can also be a sign of another medical condition and it is important to get this symptom checked as soon as possible by a healthcare professional.

5. Dry Eyes

Dry eyes is one of the symptoms of eye fatigue, as a result of infrequent blinking and intense concentration on certain tasks such as working on a computer or driving. While dry eyes is a symptom of eye fatigue, it is also an eye condition of its own. Dry eyes are defined as the eyes being unable to produce enough tears or lubrication to the surface of the eyes. Symptoms of dry eyes can also occur if there are issues with the tear film or if the eyes produce poor-quality tears.

6. Headaches

Headaches are a common symptom of other eye conditions although they are rarely caused by eye fatigue. According to the American Migraine Foundation, eye strain and fatigue can cause headaches but it is not majorly limiting to the person’s ability to carry out activities. If you experience a headache from eye fatigue or strain, you may have an uncorrected vision issue which you should have checked by an optometrist.

What are the Risk Factors for Eye Fatigue?

The most common risk factors for eye fatigue include having dry eyes, engaging in activities that require sustained eye attention, working for extended lengths of time in front of a computer or screen, and having muscle problems with the eye. The risk factors for eye fatigue and their definitions are listed below.

Having Dry Eyes: Dry eyes is a common eye condition that causes the eyes to feel dry and irritated due to less moisture produced in the eyes.
Engaging in activities that require sustained eye attention: Activities that require sustained eye attention such as reading and driving may cause eye fatigue.
Working for extended lengths of time in front of a computer or screen: Spending extended amounts of time working from a computer screen can cause digital eye strain and eye fatigue.
Having muscle problems within the eye: If your eyes have an imbalance in the muscles it can cause eye strain and fatigue as the eyes are struggling to align properly.

1. Having dry eyes

Having dry eyes means you have a common eye condition that causes the eyes to feel scratched, look red or are light-sensitive. Dry eyes occur when the tears in the eye cannot lubricate the eye well enough. Having tired and strained eyes is a symptom of dry eyes, with other symptoms including itchy, burning eyes, sensitivity to light and blurry vision. According to Hospital Health, over 77% of Australians have experienced the symptoms of dry eyes in some way, shape or form.

2. Engaging in Activities that Require Sustained Eye Attention

Engaging in activities that require sustained eye attention is a common risk factor for eye strain and fatigue, as the eyes exert significant effort and focus leading to this eye condition. These activities could include, reading, especially on screens, writing, driving and working on a computer or laptop. Small adjustments to your lifestyle such as taking frequent breaks and investing in certain types of eyewear can mitigate your risk of eye fatigue and strain.

3. Working for Extended Lengths of Time in Front of a Computer or Screen

Working for extended lengths of time in front of a computer or screen is a risk factor for eye fatigue as the eyes tend to blink less due to intense concentration. Computer work can also be a very demanding visual task that requires a lot of focusing effort from the eyes which may cause discomfort. According to Better Health, uncorrected vision problems may also make working on a computer quite uncomfortable and may lead to eye strain.

4. Having Muscle Problems Within the Eye

If your eyes have muscle problems, such as an imbalance in the eye muscles, it may cause eye fatigue and strain as the eyes are struggling to align properly. This risk factor is also known as strabismus, an eye condition where the muscles in the eyes have different strengths causing the weaker eye to turn, often called crossed eyes. This may cause eye strain as the crossed eye makes it more difficult for the eyes to see clearly making them work extra hard.

How is Eye Fatigue Diagnosed?

Eye fatigue can be diagnosed in two main ways, both of which are assessed by an eye care professional or general practitioner. The first is through the symptoms you are experiencing for example sore eyes, dry eyes and trouble focusing. The other way to diagnose eye fatigue is by understanding when these symptoms occur and what they may be related to, for example, if they occur when in front of a screen for a long time.

Where can you Seek an Eye Fatigue Diagnosis?

You can seek an eye fatigue diagnosis from an eye care professional such as an optometrist. They will also perform a comprehensive eye test in order to assess your vision and eye health. A general practitioner may also provide you with a diagnosis or refer you to an optometrist to have an eye test to assess if there are any other eye problems you may have.

What are the Treatments Available for Eye Fatigue?

Eye fatigue can be managed and treated with various types of lifestyle changes and treatment methods. The main treatment for eye fatigue is rest, taking breaks between intense concentration and using lubricating eye drops. These treatments and their definitions are listed below.

Rest: The best thing you can do to treat eye fatigue is to rest your eyes from tasks that require significant attention that put a strain on your eyes.
Take breaks: Small or long breaks between intense concentration on tasks such as reading, driving or working on a digital screen are very beneficial to the eyes.
Lubricating eye drops: Lubricating eye drops, also known as artificial tears, may help to treat eye fatigue by adding moisture to the eyes and reducing irritation.

How can Eye Fatigue be Prevented?

Eye fatigue may be prevented by enacting lifestyle changes. For example, if you spend long periods of time in front of a computer screen for work, you can use the 20-20-20 rule as suggested by the Cleveland Clinic. You can reduce digital eye strain if you take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at an object 20 feet away, or 6 metres. Other tips for reducing eye fatigue include blinking often to moisten your eyes when concentrating on specific tasks and when working on a computer, you can enlarge the text on the screen to make it easier to read. Wearing glasses may also be used to correct refractive errors which may be underlying causes of eye fatigue and strain. Lighting can also make a big difference with eye strain and fatigue. For example, using dark mode or night shift on your computer in the evenings and using adequate lighting when reading can prevent eye fatigue.

Is the Use of Eyewear Advised for Eye Fatigue?

Yes, in certain circumstances, eyewear is advised to help with eye fatigue. Refractive errors such as presbyopia and farsightedness may be underlying causes of eye strain as they cause near vision to be blurry, causing the eyes to work extra hard to see clearly. Eyeglasses such as reading glasses or driving glasses may be prescribed by an optometrist to not only improve eye fatigue but also to correct your vision.