If we leave aside the many different potential triggers, I was wondering if there are prevailing theories out there for the possible mechanisms or medical causes for these problems? I've seen some people talk about binocular vision issues but haven't seen much else if that's discounted. This seems to me to be at least as important as finding tech that might work for each of us individually but I know it's a minefield trying to isolate health issues on an internet forum. Still, it would be great to hear what ideas there are or indeed compare medical situations to see of there's any commonality.

Personally, I don't have any obvious eye issues as far as I know (having been checked out for eye health recently but only by an optician). I have perfect distance vision having had lasik 12 years ago but now need reading glasses due to normal aging (I'm aged 51). My doctor put me on beta blockers as a migraine prophylactic but I don't think it made much difference and I have since come off them (easier said than done!). My symptoms progress through tightness around the eyes, nausea and headaches that don't respond to over-the-counter analgesics, which can last multiple days. The pain is centered around the eye socket, with tenderness in the muscles responsible for eye movement and around the orbit. I am in good health otherwise, just some mild allergic rhinitis but nothing significant and without migraines from other sources. Triggers are phone, laptop and monitor screens, not TVs or light bulbs - any such screen since around 2016 causes problems, regardless of screen technology.

Be great to hear anybody's thoughts!

    Maybe @ me in a week when I have more time to explain if you are interested, but here's a some of mine:

    Food allergies: I found specific foods trigger my screen induced eye pain. For example, the monitors I am using now feel fine, but if I were to eat anything with sunflower oil in I'd not be able to use them.

    Serotonin: Because of autoimmune disease my serotonin levels are low, this predisposes me to migraines. I've spent the last few years treating my autoimmune disease with diet and I've noticed clear improvement in screen induced migraines. For example four years ago I couldn't use self checkout screens without getting a migraine, now I can use them without issue.

    • Vip likes this.

    Vip Personally, I don't have any obvious eye issues as far as I know

    It's a brain issue. Not an eye issue. Our brains are improperly handling a specific visual input, resulting in pain/strain. It has nothing to do with our eyes.

      I think we may have a slight astigmatism, not enough to be noticable. Because I always had good vision, but when I went to doctor and have my eye looked at, turns out I have a slight astigmatism which I had my entire life, but i only started noticing it within the last fews year when my eye strain issues started

      ensete That's not necessarily always the case. Each persons strain symptoms are individualized, and there can be many factors that contribute to the cause, including and not limited to medications for example.

      (https://www.goodrx.com/drugs/side-effects/these-17-medications-could-harm-your-eyes)

      Even certain ADHD medication has been linked to increased vision sensitivity resulting in certain vision disturbances and eyes strain (https://www.optometrists.org/vision-therapy/vision-therapy-for-adhd/visual-side-effects-of-adhd-medication/)

      Commonly prescribed Corticosteroids/Glucocorticoids have also been linked to causing ophthalmologic adverse effects: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531462

      Blaming the cause solely on a "brain issue" is an impercipient assumption.

      Just started a new thread to ask, but….have you guys ever taken ciprofloxacin (antibiotic) or a related fluoroquinolone drug?

        yumpay I took Levofloxacin (in the cipro class) and had a horrible reaction to it… could barely walk and from what I understand when that happens you run a high risk of achilles tear. Stopped it after 3-4 days.

        dev