eyestrain
UK[ˈaɪstreɪn]US[ˈaɪˌstreɪn]
n
pain or fatigue of the eyes, often accompanied by headache, typically caused by prolonged use of the eyes for reading, working on a computer, etc.
Morpheme Breakdown
eye
strain
eye
organ of sight
strain
excessive effort or pressure
Etymology
the compound noun 'eyestrain' is a transparent formation from two native english elements. the first element, 'eye', descends from the old english 'ēage', which can be traced back to the proto-indo-european root okʷ- meaning 'to see'. the second element, 'strain', entered english via old french from the latin verb 'stringere', meaning 'to draw tight' or 'to bind', which itself derives from the pie root strenk- meaning 'tight' or 'narrow'. the literal combination, 'eye-tightening', logically evolved into the modern abstract meaning denoting the discomfort or fatigue caused by overusing the eyes, effectively conceptualizing the eyes as being subjected to excessive tension or pressure.
Analysis
Structure: eye (organ of sight) + strain (excessive effort or pressure)
eye: from old english 'ēage', of germanic origin; related to dutch 'oog' and german 'auge', from an indo-european root shared by latin 'oculus'. functions as the noun base denoting the organ.
strain: from old french 'estreindre', from latin 'stringere' meaning 'to tie, draw tight'. functions as the noun component denoting the condition of being subjected to excessive stress.
Examples
working on the computer for hours without a break can cause significant eyestrain.
she got a pair of blue-light glasses to reduce eyestrain from her digital devices.
symptoms of eyestrain include blurred vision, headaches, and dry eyes.