Near Work Eye Pain

Ask an Eye M.D. Answer Archive

Question:
My teenager is experiencing eye pain when watching TV, using the computer monitor, and playing video games. When he is not doing these activities his eye is not in pain. What could be wrong?  

Answer:
Your teenager is spending too much time at these activities. It would be helpful to have him blink his eyes during these activities and focus at a distance for 20 seconds for every 20 minutes of activity. Your child may have dry eyes, convergence insufficiency, or another condition, but these are not harmful or fatal. Send him out to play ball, swim, or hike or anything that does not require lots of near work, as this is the only time these things bother him. If you can't change your child's habits, see an Eye M.D. for treatment.

Answered by: Richard G. Shugarman, MD

Categories: General Eye Health, Children's Eye Health

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