Can Video Games Damage Your Eyes?

The negative side effects of video games have constantly been debated since their inception. In fact, in the early 1990s, congress had hearings about violence in video games. Psychological implications aside, are your eyes being negatively affected by video game use? As a top eye doctor in Orange County, Dr. Ghosheh wants you to have the best vision possible. Here are the facts about computer vision syndrome and whether or not video games can damage your eyes.

Computer Vision Syndrome

The short answer to the video game question is: yes, potentially video games can have a negative impact on eyesight. However, this is an unfair declaration because video games are not the only thing that can damage your eyes. Computer vision syndrome is the term for using devices with screens too frequently. In today’s world, what doesn’t have a screen? There are phones, tablets, computers, and televisions all around us. In fact, sometimes we use our phones while watching TV. Long-term use of any of these devices can strain your eyes.

The difference between watching a movie, scrolling through social media, and playing a video game may seem small. However, video games are the one thing that requires the most attention. Unlike social media or watching a movie, video games require your attention due to your direct contact with the outcome of the game. This can lead to longer times of your eyes being glued to the screen. Usually while using devices with screens, we can look away, but that’s harder to do with video games. So, damaging your eyesight is more linked to screen time rather than exclusively playing video games. But the fact is that video games have a higher probability of damaging your eyes than watching a movie would.

Ways to Prevent Eyestrain

Now more than ever, we need to proactively protect our eyes from the screens we use. Taking screens out of your life altogether is impractical, and usually impossible due to our job requirements. Even if you never play a video game, your exposure to screens is most likely high. No matter what type of activity, it is important to follow the 20-20-20 rule when using screens. This rule states that every 20 minutes, you should look at something else that is at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This will help prevent the light glare from screens damaging your eyes. Many of us may get busy and forget to do it every 20 minutes. Set an alarm on your phone to go off every 20 minutes as a helpful reminder. This little exercise could save your eyes from becoming damaged.

For jobs that require very frequent and long-term use of screens, use glare-reducing products. There are covers for screens that reduce glare. There are also glasses you can buy that are anti-reflective to help with eyestrain. In fact, many computers and screens now have settings for color and glare to reduce eyestrain.

The Positive Side of Video Games

Now that we’ve concluded that long-term use of any screen will cause eyestrain, there is a positive to playing video games. As long as you can play video games in moderation, you could improve your eyesight. National Geographic reported on a study that says playing action games can improve your vision for reading and driving at night. Contrast sensitivity function is one of the first things to decrease as you get older. Short-term video game use can help keep that function strong for longer. The biggest thing to remember is that the benefit is negated if you play too long. If you are wondering about other ways to keep your vision strong as you get older, talk to the experts at Advanced Eye Medical today!