App-Based Acupressure Therapy for Asthenopia: A Mobile Health Approach To Improve Engagement and Outcomes

Asthenopia, or digital eye strain, is increasingly prevalent due to prolonged screen exposure. Self-care interventions such as acupressure may help alleviate symptoms, but adherence remains a challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application–guided self-acupressure intervention for improving therapy adherence and reducing asthenopia symptoms. A quasi-experimental study was conducted online from June to September 2024, involving 60 participants with asthenopia, divided into two groups: app-supported self-acupressure (n = 30) and self-acupressure without the app (n = 30). Outcomes were measured weekly for four weeks, including adherence rates, asthenopia intensity using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and visual fatigue using the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire (CVS-Q). Per-protocol analysis was performed on 57 participants who completed the intervention. The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher therapy adherence throughout the study and greater reduction in symptom scores. By Week 4, the intervention group showed a mean NRS reduction of –4.1 (95% CI –4.8 to –3.3; p 0.001) and a mean CVS-Q score reduction of –9.6 (95% CI –11.7 to –7.5; p 0.001), compared to smaller changes in the control group. No adverse events were reported. Mobile application–guided self-acupressure appears to be an effective, low-cost, and scalable self-care approach for reducing asthenopia symptoms and improving adherence. These findings support the integration of digital tools into adjunctive clinical care and highlight the need for future studies with longer follow-up, objective biomarkers, and randomized designs.