AR (augmented reality) glasses are increasingly used in fields such as education, healthcare, and military applications. However, as visual display devices, AR glasses can cause visual fatigue. Previous studies have indicated that prolonged use of displays leads to visual fatigue. A comparative research method was employed to examine the differences in visual fatigue between traditional displays and AR glasses. Eight participants were recruited and tasked with searching for a specific letter "v" in random text, recording the time and occurrences when the target character was found. Each device was used for a 30 min visual search task. Overall visual fatigue and its temporal variation were measured and compared using subjective visual fatigue scales, visual acuity indices (critical flicker fusion frequency, near point of accommodation, visual acuity), and physiological indices (electrocardiogram, electrooculogram). Results indicate that visual fatigue induced by AR glasses is significantly higher than that induced by traditional displays. Visual fatigue appeared earlier with AR glasses, while fatigue from traditional displays exhibited a more stable temporal pattern. The visual search task is found to be effective in inducing visual fatigue. Blood oxygen levels and blink rates are effective indicators of temporal changes in visual fatigue. Based on the cumulative visual fatigue pattern, it is recommended that the duration of high-intensity visual search tasks using AR glasses should not exceed 10 minutes.