Effects of Video Games on Your Eyes

HARLEY STREET, U.K. - Nov. 12, 2013 - PRLog -- Are Video Games Damaging your Eyes Video?

Video Games such as the Call of Duty and the Grand Theft Auto series have become hugely popular, and many young men and women are spending more and more time playing these games.
Now the big question is,

Will spending to much time staring at a television / PC screen have a negative effect on your eyes?

This is something that so many people have asked me in practice, I have worked at The Optical Gallery (http://www.opticalgallery.co.uk/) for over 5 years now as a qualified Optician and I here this question on a daily basis.

So if you like many others are seeking an answer then please read on and I will reveal all.

Dangers to Vision whilst Gaming
CVS - Posture - Vision

These days video games are becoming more and more in depth, not only the graphics, audio and overall experience are becoming more advanced, but probably the biggest influence on the eyes is the length of time needed actually starring at the screen to complete the game.

It doesn't stop there!

When you do eventually complete the main storyline there is usually an on line section to the game, as we have seen in call of duty and grand theft auto, that can be just as addictive (if not more so) and generally will go on for as long as you are willing to play with no real ending. Meaning a lot of strain on your eyes.

What you Will Experience in Your Vision

There are a few symptoms that you may experience if you are a gamer, and you may find that your friends or family who watch a lot of television or work a lot with computers may experience the same.

Symptoms

Headaches
Blurred Vision
Near sightedness (if regular breaks are not taken to relax your eyes)

What you May also Experience

You could experience symptoms similar to what's called CVS ( Computer Vision Syndrome ) this is caused by prolonged time at a computer and again not taking regular breaks to relax your eyes. Jobs that involve alot of computer work will be more at risk of developing CVS as well as computer gamers.

Symptoms

Blurry Vision
Light Sensitivity
Eye irritation

These are caused by the way that computers create an image on the screen. They create it using pixels (blocks of light) and starring at them for prolonged time without relaxing your eyes can cause all of the symptoms listed above.

As well as the effects this can have on the eyes it is also interesting to know that many people who work with computers and also gamers can suffer from neck and shoulder aches and pains all due to their posture when they are sitting at the computer or television, click here (http://www.wikihow.com/Sit-at-a-Computer) for a guide to good posture technique.

How to Maintain Great Vision
Protect Your Eyes
I am now going to share with you a few different ways to prevent deterioration of your eye site.

1. You want to be sitting the correct distance away from the television, now depending which size TV you own will determine what the best viewing distance is.

(26" - 31" = 3.5 feet), (32" - 36" = 4 feet), (37" - 39" = 4.5 feet), (40" - 41" = 5 feet), (43" - 45" = 5.5 feet), (46" - 49" = 6 feet), (50" - 52" = 6.5 feet)

2. Frequent breaks from the screen is always going to benefit your eyes. A simple rule I learned from my lecturer whilst I was studying was the 20 20 20 rule. This works for both computers and television screens.

( Every 20 minuets, look 20 metres away, for 20 seconds )

3. Glare from other light sources can force your eyes to work harder. What you want to do is turn your screen, if possible, so the light is not hitting the screen. If this isn't possible then you will need to close curtains to reduce light hitting the front of the screen this will reduce how much you are having to strain your eyes.

A lot of people forget one of the priorities to good eye health which is a skill that is essential to overall good health, which is making sure you are getting the correct nutrients and vitamins that your eyes crave.

These consist of:

Vitamin A - Feeds the retina helping it to function properly.
Lutein - Prevents Macular Degeneration and Cataracts.
Selenium - Helps the body to absorb other nutrients.

If you find that trying to get a good balanced mixture of these vitamins, and other essential vitamins for good health, in to your diet a bit difficult then you can use multivitamin supplements to aid in getting the correct ones.

The Big Question Answered
Do Video Games Damage Eyes
And the answer is:

They do if you don't take breaks.....

But if you do take your breaks and have a good supply of vitamins then they could actually benefit your eyes.

How can they be beneficial to your eyes? I hear you ask.

The answer is quite simple and I will list the reasons below.

1. Improved Hand Eye Co-ordination - as you know a lot of action games need very speedy reactions from what you see to clicking the correct buttons and still being aware of your surroundings. Now Call of Duty is a great example as, personally speaking, this is a very in depth demanding game and especially the on line features are amazing, so if your kid or yourself is taking breaks, eating the right vitamins and a Call of Duty fan then you could be on to a winner.

2. Contrast Sensitivity Function Enhanced - This is something that usually deteriorates with age which is being able to distinguish between different shades of colour on a uniform background. So in short your eyes should stay healthier for longer improving night time driving and also reading.

In summary to this lens of is gaming bad for your eyes, it can be but it can also be beneficial and to get the most out of your eyes you should have a combination of a healthy diet, playing computer games (action orientated call of duty, grand theft auto) for a healthy period of time taking into account the 20 20 20 rule and probably the most important part of healthy living in general is to get outside every now and then and enjoy the natural beauties and entertainment that this world has to offer!

What if I wear Glasses / Contact lenses?

If you wear spectacles or even contact lenses then this can still all apply to you as a prevention method of your eyes getting any worse so you can experience the same benefits as everyone else.

Also if you are a contact lens wearer you are probably feeling the pinch as Christmas approaches. I am going to share with you a little tip. If you buy contact lenses online whether it be Clariti contact lenses or Acuvue contact lenses or any other brand, they are exactly the same as you would get from your high street store just a lot cheaper as they don't have all the overheads.

A website I would recommend is Quality Eyes (http://www.qualityeyes.com/) as they are a team of qualified opticians that can offer advice and help, but as always before ordering make sure you have had an up to date contact lens check so we all know your eyes are healthy for contact lens wear.