Protecting your Greatest Gaming Asset

If you’re a professional gamer, then what is your most important asset? Well, it’s not your expensive gaming rig, your specially adjusted chair, or that state-of-the-art keyboard.

Your most important gaming asset is your eyesight, and it is the one that is put under the most pressure by extended gaming. Being a professional gamer requires hours of practice, and while that can help you to hone your gaming skills to an elite level, it can also put a huge strain on your eyesight. If you’ve ever experienced symptoms such as fuzzy vision, upper shoulder pain, headaches or dry eyes, then you could be suffering from computer vision syndrome (CVS), a common condition among committed and professional gamers.

Like many modern ophthalmologists, Dr. Rohit Varma often has to treat patients who are suffering from CVS or related conditions. According to the American Optometric Association, the extent and frequency of an individual’s CVS symptoms are related directly to screen time. The longer you spend gaming, the worse the symptoms, particularly if you already have vision problems such as astigmatism or short-sightedness (myopia).

CVS occurs because staring at a screen for long periods of time is hard for your eyes. They have to focus on an endless stream of rapidly moving images while simultaneously dealing with glare and close viewing angles. In fact, gaming can actually weaken the eye muscles, because they haven’t evolved to focus on one location for long periods and when required to do so, can become fatigued. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to protect your eyes and boost your eye health. Here is a quick guide to eye protection for gamers.

Blink!

Yes, it sounds obvious, but the biggest single cause of eye strain among gamers is vision fixation – that is, staring at a single object for long periods of time without blinking. It is important to make a regular conscious effort to blink while you are engrossed in your game – this will also help to prevent the risk of dry eyes.

Look away now!

Another method for limiting the negative effects associated with screen fixation is to make yourself look away from your monitor regularly, switching your focus onto an object that is between ten and 20 feet away. If you do this every 20 minutes, then your eyes will have a chance to refocus, and this can also minimize eye strain.

Screen breaks

Although taking regular breaks to refocus is an effective way to temporarily reduce eye strain, it is also a good idea during marathon gaming sessions to get up and walk away from the screen altogether. One useful rule of thumb is to take a ten to 15-minute break for every hour you spend gaming, which will offer your eyes additional relief.

Eat for eyesight

Like every other part of your body, your eyes respond positively to a healthy diet. Two substances called lutein and zeaxanthin have been associated with improved eyesight as they may help to restrict the amount of harmful blue light that hits the back of the eye, acting effectively as a form of “organic sunglasses”. These substances can be found in a number of fruit and vegetables, such as mangos, broccoli, oranges and lettuce.

Another important dietary change that you can make is to reduce the amount of refined sugar that you consume. Along with obesity, the excessive consumption of refined sugar is a major contributor to type 2 diabetes, which is the most significant cause of vision problems in the US. Cut down on sweets, sodas and processed foods, and ideally cut them out completely.

Eye exercises

There are also some specific eye exercises that can help to keep your vision healthy during long gaming sessions. One is called a Focus Break – this involves focusing on a particular object in the room for a few seconds every five to ten minutes. Palming involves cupping your hands across your eyes and leaning your elbows on your knees while focusing on your breathing for two to five minutes – this is a great way to help your eyes recover.

Conclusion

There are many qualities required to be a professional gamer, with dedication, lightning reflexes and the ability to concentrate for long periods of time all considered essential to success. However, few factors are more important than your eyesight. Gamers are particularly prone to eyesight problems, but by taking your vision seriously, you will be able to keep your eyes healthy, which will help you to maximize your gaming potential.

Galit Gordon

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I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.