Screens, Lighting and Visual Fatigue in Homework Time

By Laura Lurns · Reviewed by Philip Weaver · Last reviewed 2026-10-07

What screen eye strain is

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is a US body of eye doctors.

As of 2026, the AAO says eye strain from screens is not one eye condition. It is a name for symptoms after a long time looking at a screen.

These can include dry or itchy eyes, blurry vision and headaches. In our view, tell your child's doctor about the headaches.

The AAO says these symptoms are temporary. It says they do no lasting damage to the eyes.

It says this strain is no different from long reading or close work.

What the AAO advises

As of 2026, the AAO advises a break for the eyes now and then.

The AAO says people blink less while using screens. Its advice includes remembering to blink.

The AAO says a screen brighter than the room makes the eyes work harder. Its advice is to match screen brightness to the light around you.

The AAO's advice also includes cutting down glare.

These are advice, not study findings. Some of this advice is written for all ages, not just children.

As of 2026, the AAO gives no set amount of screen time for children. Our page on screen time by age covers time limits.

The 20-20-20 rule

As of 2026, the AAO also advises the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away. Look for at least 20 seconds.

Johnson and Rosenfield (2023) tested such breaks in 30 young adults. The breaks were not shown to change symptoms, reading speed or accuracy. It was one reading session. We could read only the study's summary.

So 20-20-20 is the AAO's advice, not a study finding.

Blue light

As of 2026, the AAO does not recommend blue-light glasses for computer use. It says no scientific evidence shows that screen blue light damages the eyes.

Singh and colleagues (2023) reviewed 17 trials of blue-light glasses. All of the trials were in adults. The trials followed people for up to five weeks. The glasses may not reduce eye strain from computer use, the review found. We could read only the review's summary.

Mylona and Floros (2026) reviewed studies of teens and young adults. Few studies were of teens alone. Blue-light filters mostly gave little or no help with eye strain, they found. We could read only the review's summary.

Lighting for homework

We read no study of homework lighting in children with typical eyesight. So for lighting, we can give eye-care advice only.

The AAO advises matching screen brightness to the room. It also advises cutting down glare. These are advice, not study findings.

When to have the eyes checked

If tired eyes keep coming back, an eye exam is worth doing. Ask for one that includes near vision.

The AAO says eyes that are often red, blurry or watery need an eye doctor. So do eyes that hurt, or that light bothers.

Some children avoid close work, rub their eyes or lose their place. In our view, that is a reason for a full eye exam. Ask for one that includes near vision.

If an exam finds an eye problem, that problem needs its own care.

Our page on headaches or tired eyes when reading covers headaches with reading. In our view, tell your child's doctor about the headaches.

When to ask for help

Each of these is a reason to ask for help on its own.

• Little change, even with steady practice and good teaching.
• Schoolwork well below what school expects.
• A teacher who raises a concern about learning.
• Extreme upset about schoolwork.
• Complete avoidance of school or learning.
• Hopelessness about learning.
• Sadness or worry that lasts.
• Significant delays in speech, language or motor development.
• A skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.

If no skill has gone, start with the teacher. Say what you are seeing at home, and what you have tried. Beyond the teacher, the right person depends on what it turns out to be about. If the work is too hard, someone who works on that school skill. If worry or mood is the thing, someone who works with children's mental health. In our view, delays in speech, language or movement are worth raising with your child's doctor. In our view, if you are worried enough to ask, a professional evaluation is worth asking about.

Any talk of hurting themselves is a same-day call to your doctor or a crisis line.