Due to the engaging and immersive nature of video games, it’s easy for gamers to get carried away and play for hours on end. However enjoyable they may be, prolonged gaming sessions can have negative health consequences, starting with unhealthy sleep patterns.
On top of gaming addiction interfering with natural sleep cycles, a previous post explains that digital screens emit blue light. Exposure to this form of visible light can suppress the production of the sleep hormone known as melatonin, altering your sleep-wake cycle and overall sleep quality.
Additionally, blue light from digital screens can compromise your eye health. Research shows that prolonged screen use among gamers heightens the risk of eye strain and dryness by almost twofold compared to non-gamers. Specifically, digital eye strain symptoms like soreness and irritation increase more than threefold, while eye fatigue nearly doubles.
Considering many of the estimated 225 million gamers in the US game for over four hours a day, excessive blue light exposure highlights the need for gamers to learn effective ways to prevent and manage digital eye strain.
Limit your screen time
Clearly, one of the straightforward ways to minimize blue light exposure and avoid eye strain is to reduce your screen time. Whether you use a gaming computer or a console, make an effort to limit the number of hours you spend in front of digital screens.
You can set a timer or utilize screen time monitoring apps like Digital Wellbeing to regulate your daily screen use. It also helps to take short screen breaks between gaming sessions, during which you can get up to stretch, hydrate, or do eye exercises like blinking and refocusing.
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Consider your eyewear
You can also consider getting eyewear to serve as a protective shield against harmful blue light. Eyewear retailer Glasses Direct explains how blue light glasses help by reducing screen glare and filtering blue light, thus providing visual comfort to the wearer.
Aside from getting anti-scratch and anti-reflection coatings, gamers with refractive errors like myopia can get BlueReflect lenses to accommodate single-vision and multifocal prescriptions. Meanwhile, gamers with normal visual acuity can get specialized gaming glasses like the GUNNAR LB360, with its Blue Light Protection Factor.
Not only does GUNNAR’s patented lens technology reduce dry eye symptoms, but it also enhances focus at close range, which is particularly beneficial for high-graphics games like first-person shooter (FPS).
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Pay attention to ergonomics
Besides screen use duration and eyewear, ergonomics also plays a crucial role in the frequency and likelihood of digital eye strain. To start, you can get tension headaches, a common eye strain symptom, if you have to lean forward or tilt your head at an unnatural angle just to look at the screen.
So, invest in a gaming-friendly desk and chair to ensure the monitor is at the proper distance and within your natural field of view. Additionally, you can get a screen display that utilizes Eyesafe’s RPF60 blue light filtration technology without compromising color and performance. In partnership with Eyesafe, ZAGG has also released the Glass XTR3 screen protector, which can effectively filter up to 60% of blue light for optimal eye protection.
As gamers continue to engage in their hobby, they must keep in mind the tips above to ensure their eyes remain healthy and functioning. Protecting your vision can do wonders not only for your gaming experience but your overall health and quality of life.