Videogames: keys to not damage the vision of children

Myopia is the most common refractive defect that is triggered by the abuse of video games by children, a booming market that causes 30 percent of children's visual problems.

The use of consoles, tablets and computers during childhood can damage the eyesight of developing children. The time of exposure to video games is the main problem since the consequences that its abusive use can cause on ocular health are unknown.

Elvira Jiménez, optical-optometrist of Alain Afflelou, points out that "they can cause a significant variation of visual acuity, which can trigger myopia in adulthood, conjunctival hyperemia or problems of ocular dryness".


The abuse of time, the most dangerous

The support that children use to play video games such as television, mobile phones, computers or tablets, has a relatively influence on the visual performance of children, with the time spent in front of these devices along with lighting, the reflections and inappropriate postures the factors that really determine the risk of suffering from vision problems to this new generation 2.0 permanently connected to the screens.

Because videogame players require a series of physical conditions such as good visual acuity (good distance vision), binocular vision to see a single image and in depth, good ocular motility to follow the movement of objects, an excellent accommodation to focus at different distances, a wide field of vision and good hand-eye coordination, it is essential to follow a series of tips to prevent any of these skills from failing. When some failure occurs, it is normal to start having visual problems such as blurred and / or double vision, headaches, eye pain, redness and irritation and dry eye or tearing.


Keys to take care of children's visual health

In addition to conducting periodic check-ups to children to detect and treat these alterations on time, it is important to follow these tips:
- Prevents children from playing video games more than 30-40 minutes a day. It combines its use with outdoor activities to avoid eye problems.
- It is advisable to rest your eyes every 20 minutes, looking for a distant point to not continue focusing on a close up view.
- Teach the children to blink during the game, thus ocular lubrication is increased by tearing. If you notice sand or dry eye, it is advisable to use an artificial tear.
- Recommend the use of anti-reflective filters to increase comfort and decrease visual fatigue. There are filters specially created for the use of digital screens (tablets, videogames, computers ...), which absorb "toxic or harmful" wavelengths by increasing contrast and facilitating vision.
- It is advisable a minimum distance of 45-60 centimeters Regarding the screen of the console, the tablet or the mobile.
- Performs periodic optical reviews To your childs.
- Always visit your optometrist-optometrist when they feel discomfort such as headaches, eye pain or dry eye.
- Buy video games that stimulate eye-man coordinationor to improve reflections and try to avoid those where the screen flickers too much.


However, video games also have positive consequences such as the improvement of children's ability to concentrate that contributes to improving coordination or the increase of reflexes and visual memory; so much so, that there are specific video games for the treatment of the lazy eye.

Marisol Nuevo Espín

Video: Amiga CD32 - Angry Video Game Nerd (Episode 162)


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