Looking at the computer for a long time? Be careful of being spotted by "squinting"!

Mr. Li (pseudonym), 35, is an engineer at a software company. The nature of his job requires him to spend more than 10 hours a day in front of the computer. In the past two years, he often felt dry eyes, but Mr. Li thought it was a common problem for programmers and did not pay much attention to it. Recently, Mr. Li found that he saw double images and his eyes were involuntarily tilted, which seriously affected his work and life, so he hurried to the Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University for treatment.

After a series of eye examinations, Mr. Li was diagnosed with acute concomitant esotropia. "I didn't expect that I would get strabismus after looking at the computer for a long time. I must use my eyes moderately in the future!" He regretted it deeply.

Cai Chunyan, deputy chief physician, doctoral candidate, master's supervisor, deputy leader of the strabismus and pediatric ophthalmology group in Hubei Province of Aier Eye Hospital Group, and deputy director of strabismus and pediatric ophthalmology at Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University , said that in recent years, with the popularization of electronic products and the increase in the frequency of close-range eye use, the incidence of acute concomitant esotropia has been on the rise, and it is getting younger and younger, and the incidence rate is also increasing among young and middle-aged people and even adolescent children. Long-term close-range eye use is the main cause of acute concomitant esotropia.

What is acute concomitant esotropia?

Acute concomitant esotropia is a type of concomitant esotropia that occurs suddenly. The patient first experiences double vision, or double vision, followed by esotropia, or both. Acute concomitant esotropia is mostly seen in older children and adults, especially those who spend a lot of time looking at their phones, tablets, or using computers.

In the past, this disease was relatively rare in clinical practice, but with the popularization of electronic products in recent years, especially the use of smart phones, the incidence rate has increased significantly.

Why does looking at the computer for a long time cause strabismus?

Long-term close-up use of the eyes induces excessive accommodative convergence, resulting in an imbalance in the convergence and separation of the eyes, and the eyes cannot relax, thus forming acute concomitant esotropia. At present, most acute concomitant esotropias are caused by this reason.

Dai Hongbin, chief physician, member of the standing committee of the Ophthalmology Professional Committee of the Hubei Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, deputy leader of the Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology Group of Aier Eye Hospital Group, and director of Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology of Aier Eye Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University, reminds that people who often work overtime and stay up late, and use their eyes intensively, should look into the distance or close their eyes to rest for a while after using their eyes for 20 to 30 minutes. If they find that both eyes cannot focus on the same object at the same time, they should go to a professional ophthalmology hospital for treatment as soon as possible.