Eye Strain from Video Games: Causes and Prevention Tips
Playing video games for a prolonged duration can significantly affect your eye health and cause eye strain.
Mobile devices are so addictive that globally an average person spends over 10 hours on screens daily.
Out of these, at least two hours are dedicated to playing video games.
While playing video games, the frequency of blinking is significantly reduced.
This can cause symptoms like dry eyes and eye strain, which can be very irritating.
Some other symptoms might include eye redness, itchiness and blurry vision.
Simple exercises or looking away from screens can effectively reduce these issues.
You may try activities like palming, massaging, and the 20-20-20 rule.
Continue reading to learn more about eye strain from video games.
We will also discuss the symptoms and natural treatments for eye strain.
How are video games causing eye strain?
The research found that individuals between 18 and 34 play the most video games and experience eye strain.
Eye strain from video games is generally caused due to reduced blinking.
When a person plays video games, They get so focused that the blinking frequency gets to 7 per minute.
The normal blinking rate of a person is 22 blinks per minute.
Not blinking can cause dryness in the eyes as they are kept open, and the tears evaporate, causing irritation.
This can further lead to eye strain or more serious problems.
The frequent use of mobile devices also increases exposure to blue light from screens.
Exposure to blue light may result in delayed sleeping time which can cause fatigue and sleepiness.
This may also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Diagnosis
Generally, diagnosis consists of a physical examination for eye redness, itching, blurry vision, and dry eyes.
But during your visit, your healthcare professional will discuss the following subjects:
- What signs are you experiencing?
- When do these symptoms appear, and what activities might you be performing then?
With a physical examination, the doctor might check muscle imbalance, untreated refractive defects, and other problems with the eye.
Reducing eye strain
You can reduce eye strain caused due to excessive video game playing.
The reducing steps may include some daily lifestyle changes.
Adjusting brightness
You may prevent this issue by setting your computer’s brightness to the most comfortable level for your eyes.
To avoid eye strain, you may also change the brightness to correspond to the surrounding lighting conditions.
You can change the brightness by using the buttons at the bottom or behind the monitor.
Also Read: You can go through the article, Does Desk Lamp Reduce Eye Strain?
Eyeglasses
Custom computer glasses with an anti-reflective coating are required for people who spend a lot of time in front of computers.
Computer glasses are also an excellent alternative for those using progressive or bifocal lenses.
As these glasses are not suitable for the distance between you and your computer screen.
Avoid excessive lights
By covering the windows with drapes or shades, and you can prevent exposure to sunlight.
While using a computer, curtains can help block out light from the outside.
Reducing glare
Always choose a computer with an anti-glare screen coating.
Your eyeglasses’ anti-reflective coating can protect you from unwanted glare and reflections.
Sitting exercises
Exercise will always be necessary for treating eye strain caused due to playing video games.
Regular standing up, moving around, and arm, leg, back, neck, and shoulder exercises are all recommended.
Especially if they work at a computer or have a sitting job, they must maintain their back stretches and excellent posture.
Dry eyes
You may get dry eyes after playing excessive video games because of the evaporation of tears.
You can treat dry eyes using artificial eye lubricants.
Your doctor may recommend Eyemist E/D 10ml for dry eyes.
However, there could be other reasons. Read to learn more about their preventive measures.
Eye exercises to reduce eye strain
Playing video games for more than an hour is considered excessive.
You can have digital eye strain by playing excessive video games.
Some eye exercises might help you if you feel any strain, irritation, or dryness in the eyes.
Also Read: You can go through the article, Clearing the Haze: Effective Lazy Eye Exercises.
Palming
Palming is one of the relaxing exercises for getting relief from eye strain.
Before starting this exercise, you must warm your hands by rubbing them against each other for 15 to 20 seconds.
Put your hands over your eyes to block out all the light, then close your eyes.
Blinking
It can be quite beneficial for easing eye strain from video games.
A regular person blinks roughly 20 times each minute on average.
If, however, you are looking at a computer or television screen, this drops to 7 blinks per minute.
Blinking frequently is crucial since it moisturizes your eyes and guards against dryness.
20-20-20 rule
You can even try the 20-20-20 rule to get relief from digital eye strain.
In this, you have to take 20 seconds break and look 20 feet away after every 20 minutes to prevent eye strain.
Conclusion
In conclusion, video games have become a popular form of entertainment.
They can also cause eye strain and other vision-related problems.
The blue light emitted by screens can lead to dry eyes, headaches, and even retinal damage over time.
There are several ways to reduce the risk of eye strain while playing video games.
Taking frequent breaks and maintaining proper posture can all help alleviate eye strain.
Good eye health habits, such as blinking and using artificial tears, can also help prevent eye-related issues.
By taking these steps, gamers can enjoy their favorite pastime without risking their eye health.
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