chronic tired eyes

About a week ago I felt I had something in my eye.  I would rub my eye hoping for relief but it continued.  Then my eye socket (right) felt sore.  I then started to have severe eye strain.  I can't seem to shake this "tired" eye chronic syndrome that I have.  I have been under some stress lately and I also use the computer for 10 hours per day.  I'm assuming this is do to stress/computer use.  The best way I can describe is ...the feeling that you get after you have been on the computer in a dark room staring at the screen for many hours.  The only problem is it is not going away despite resting my eyes.  I even have some light sensitivity.  Is this serious.  How would this be treated?  I have an appointment with an eye doctor in a few days.

[Flavius G Pernoud III, MD]

An eye exam is the right thing to do. Three common things are: 1) Dry eye syndrome--your eyes dry out from staring at the screen all day and not blinking enough 2) undercorrection of your eyes for near work--especially if you are over 40, you may need reading glasses 3) a small eye muscle imbalance which is causing a strain with constant near work--your eyes must converge to maintain binocular vision for near work.