Many individuals work long hours in office environments. And computer use often does not stop when the workday is over; many continue to work from home, catch up on personal e-mail, and surf the Web after leaving the office. Hobbies such as sewing and other needlework, miniature painting, model making, and arts and crafts may also entail hours of up-close work. Eyestrain, eye fatigue, and “visual” headaches may result from these activities, particularly if distracting or discomforting glare is a factor.
Recognizing the symptoms of asthenopia and counseling individuals on how to best use their eyes comfortably and effectively through recommendations for appropriate eyeglass lens enhancements can go a long way in maximizing the visual experience.
Headaches are one of the most common complaints bringing individuals to medical professionals—and eye care professionals as well. Headaches are multifactorial, and eye problems are not the most common cause of headaches. However, many headaches are attributable to uncorrected or undercorrected refractive errors, incipient or unrecognized presbyopia, ocular muscle imbalances (especially convergence insufficiency or latent phorias), and simple eye fatigue or overuse of the eyes. Recognizing these “visual” headaches allows the eye care professional practicing Healthy Sight Counseling to offer a solution to the problem, improving the patient’s visual function and visual experience, and avoiding the need for an extensive medical/neurologic work-up.
Severe or persistent headaches, particularly those that are not associated with specific visual tasks, do not resolve when measures are taken to counteract eyestrain, or are accompanied by other signs and symptoms that suggest a potentially serious non-ocular condition, are a different matter. Here prompt referral to a medical professional for evaluation and testing is important.
Eyestrain related to uncorrected refractive error may occur when the affected individual performs either close activities (reading, computer use, hobbies involving close work) or distant visual activities (like driving or watching movies) without the appropriate refractive correction. Eyestrain related to uncorrected refractive error tends to resolve quickly with the use of corrective eyeglass lenses.
Eyestrain related to disturbances of ocular muscle balance is a more difficult problem to deal with. Latent phorias and convergence insufficiency can often be effectively addressed with a program of orthoptic training, sometimes combined with the use of corrective prisms in eyewear. In recalcitrant cases, corrective eye muscle surgery may become necessary.
To learn more about eyestrain, fatigue, and headaches, click here