Monitor causing eye pain, burning, strain, dried eyes, what could it be?

[Eyesproblem]

I stopped using a new monitor after 3 days of constant use since it was making my eyes hurt. The pain started slowly progressing with the use of the monitor, until it was too much and I had to stop. I haven’t had any problems with any other monitor. After I stopped using the monitor, I thought the eye pain would disappear the next day, but it did not. The next day, I waked up with the same pain in the eyes.

I should also mention that right after I stopped using the monitor, my eyes were really sensible to light and air, and I had to be constantly blinking. I also noticed several eye floaters in one of my eyes that day, which had never happened to me before. All this continued the next day I stopped using the monitor.

Now, 5 days have passed since I stopped using that monitor, and I still have all symptoms, except for the pain which has been decreasing.

Any ideas of what could be happening?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

If this is a big problem I suggest you contact an eye MD ophthalmologist that specializes in eye muscle problems (strabismus). They are often called 'pediatric ophthalmologists' but many do adult.  You can have 20/20 vision and still need glasses if you have a significant amount of latent hyperopia. This can only be determined by doing a glasses test AFTER your eyes are dilated (POST CYCLOPLEGIC REFRACTION)  the other that can cause this is eye muscle problems called convergence insufficiency

[Eyesproblem]

Thank you very much,

Yes, I will try to get checked by someone with that specialty.

About convergence deficiency, is it possible that I can still have it even though I don’t have double vision when looking at close objects? How is it diagnosed?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

What you are thinking of is 'spasm of accommodation' convergence insufficience is different and causes eye strain, blur, headache, fatigue, sleepiness when doing tasks at near like reading or computer.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Modern monitors should not cause problems like that.   Long use of monitor in people with dry eyes is ultra common. Your sensitivity to light would go along with dry corneas.  Monitor's don't cause floaters but floaters stand out when using monitors because of the background. You start all of this by having a medical eye exam with an ophthalmologist.

[Eyesproblem]

Thanks for your quick answer.

I have been taking preservative free drops for dry eyes, but they don’t seem to reduce the symptoms. I read online that eye floaters may appear because of inflammation. So I suspect that there might be an inflammation in my eyes due to the drops not working and the sudden appearance of several eye floaters.

Also, some symptoms as the pain have been gone, however, they come back every time I look at a screen. So I’m currently unable to use the computer for more than 10 minutes.

I should also mention that when using that monitor that could have caused this problem, I was sitting REALLY close to it, since the desk I was using didn't have much space. I mention this in case it could be related.

What possible conditions do you think this could be?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Floaters do not develop due to external inflammation such as dry eyes. What you are reading about is internal inflammation (uveitis) which is a whole different deal.  You need to see an eye Md for a definitive diagnosis and to determine if you have a refractive error or a eye muscle problem like convergence insufficiency that might be causing your problems.

[Eyesproblem]

Thanks for your response,

I have recently consulted an ophthalmologist, but he doesn’t know what could be causing this.

I have realized that the symptoms not only appear when looking at a screen, but every time I focus the eyesight to any object for several minutes. However, the symptoms appear quicker when looking at a screen.

I have a 20/20 eyesight and do not have double vision when looking at a short distance. The ophthalmologist said I do have external inflammation in the eyes.

What possible conditions can you relate?