Digital asthenopia is a set of eye symptoms related to the use of monitors . It is becoming more and more common and affects mainly those who use monitors more than 2 hours a day. It is often referred by patients as ‘ tired eyes ’. What are the main complaints? The main eye symptoms associated with the use of monitors are: Fatigue; Greater sensitivity to light; Need for greater effort to focus the images; Slowness in focusing images in the transition from near to far vision and vice versa; Eye irritation; Red eyes; Sensation of dry or watery eyes; Itchy eyes; Headaches; Feeling of heavy eyes (eyelid weight). These complaints are usually worse at the end of the day and improve with rest . Why are monitors a cause of digital asthenopia? The use of the mobile phones or computers is done with the eyes focusing close, that is, with contraction of the the ciliary muscle, which is the muscle responsible for accommodation and near vision. Prolonged close efforts lead to accommodation overload as well as of convergence (both eyes looking inward during reading). In addition, doing tasks of great concentration leads to a decrease in the frequency of blinking, increasing the incidence of dry eye . The horizontal reading position on computers also allows the evaporation of tears, since when we read on paper we adopt a position in which the eyes are higher and look down, and are more covered by the eyelids. Evaluation by an ophthalmologist Many patients seek ophthalmology consultation so they can be prescribed “resting glasses”. When there are refractive errors, glasses can and should be prescribed. However, glasses alone will not solve complaints related to digital asthenopia. The therapeutic approach of digital asthenopia must focus on the various factors that contribute to the problem, either associated with the patient and with the environment (devices and conditions of use). Therefore, glasses are only one aspect to consider. If you have complaints related to the use of monitors, go to an ophthalmologist to have an individual assessment and treatment plan. Main strategies to avoid digital asthenopia Diagnose and treat vision problems Correct any refractive errors through glasses, which may have a blue anti-light filter from the monitors and an anti-reflection filter; Assess and treat other possible visual disturbances, such as changes in binocular vision and oculomotor balance, insufficient convergence, or difficulties in accommodation, which lead to complaints. Sometimes these problems are subclinical and start to manifest due to the overload of visual effort. Caring for the monitors Keep the monitors clean; Adjust for brightness and contrast resembling natural light; Prefer monitors with good resolution and quality and activate blue light filter. Position of the monitors Position the monitors perpendicular to windows or other light sources, to avoid glare on the monitor; Position the computer lower than eye level, so that the eye is not so exposed (more covered by the eyelids in the reading position); Keep the mobile monitors (tablet and mobile phone) about 40 cm from the eyes; Keep the fixed monitors (computers) at about 70 cm. Room environment Prefer natural lighting; In artificial lighting, choose diffused lighting, without foci directed at the face; Avoid very hot environments; Aerate the house and maintain an adequate humidity level. Eye care Blink voluntarily and, if there is eye discomfort, apply drops of tear substitute (lubricating eye drops or artificial tears); Take regular breaks from focusing closely (accommodating breaks) to relax the ciliary muscle; The 20-20-20 rule is usually recommended: look at a distant object (distance of 20 feet or 6 meters), for 20 seconds every 20 minutes of work. Author : Cláudia Bacalhau Meet the ophthalmology team from Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
