眼精疲労

• Reading: がんせいひろう
• Romaji: gansei hirō
• Kanji breakdown: 眼 (eye) + 精 (essence, spirit) + 疲 (fatigue) + 労 (labor) → chronic eye fatigue from strain
• Pronunciation: /ɡaɴ.seː.çi.ɾoː/

Meaning

Eye strain; fatigue and discomfort in the eyes from prolonged screen use or reading.

眼精疲労 is a semi-medical term that has entered everyday conversation as screen time has increased dramatically. Unlike simple 疲れ目 (tired eyes), 眼精疲労 implies a more chronic condition with symptoms like headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes. It's commonly discussed alongside スマホ首 and ブルーライト as part of the modern digital health vocabulary.

Examples

1. 一日中パソコンで仕事してると眼精疲労がやばい。 Working on a computer all day gives me insane eye strain.
2. 眼精疲労にはホットアイマスクがめっちゃ効くよ。 A heated eye mask works crazy well for eye strain.
3. 眼精疲労から頭痛がくるようになって眼科行った。 My eye strain started giving me headaches so I went to the eye doctor.

Usage Guide

Context: health, workplace, daily conversation

Tone: matter-of-fact, sympathetic

Do Say

• 眼精疲労がひどいから目薬手放せない。 (My eye strain is so bad I can't go without eye drops.)
• リモートワークになってから眼精疲労が悪化した。 (My eye strain has gotten worse since switching to remote work.)

Don't Say

• 「眼精疲労で休みます」はカジュアルすぎる場合もある — 症状を具体的に説明する方がいい (Just saying 'eye strain' to take sick leave can sound too casual — describe specific symptoms instead)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing 眼精疲労 with simple 疲れ目 — 眼精疲労 implies a chronic or severe condition, while 疲れ目 is temporary tiredness

Origin & History

Medical compound: 眼精 (eye, refined/essence) + 疲労 (fatigue). Originally a clinical term that became mainstream vocabulary as digital device usage created widespread eye strain issues in the 2010s-2020s.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s, mainstream with increased screen time

Generation: All ages, especially office workers and gamers

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Frequently mentioned in workplace health discussions and pharmacy product marketing for eye drops and hot eye masks.