In today’s world, technology is everywhere — and that means there are more screens than ever to worry about. Before, there was just a television to pull your kids back from when they were sitting too close, but now we have laptops, smartphones, and tablets. What do all of these devices have in common?
You can play video games on them. The game apps on your phones and tablets may not seem like traditional video games, without a controller, but the complex visuals can be just as hard on the eyes. All of these screens have artificial light, which is often brighter than natural light and forces your eyes to work harder. In addition to this, artificial light also tends to keep people awake longer and disrupt sleeping patterns.
Too much time staring at a screen can create some vision issues, like eye irritation and light sensitivity. It can also lead to more serious eye strain, and eventual health issues. However, screen time can be managed. It’s a good idea to take periodic breaks — you can always hit the pause button on a game. It’s also important to know that you can change the screen settings on many devices to be more eye-friendly.
The news about video gaming isn’t all bad, though. Studies have shown that when managed responsibly, video games can have a positive effect on your eyesight. It can improve visual attention, aka the ability to focus on one thing while blocking everything else out. In addition, it improves one of the more important functions of our eyes: contrast sensitivity function, which allows us to tell the difference between shades of colors displayed on a background. It’s one of the key skills needed for reading — which is far different from staring at a screen.
While video games may seem to be taking up all our attention these days, it’s important to understand how it can be managed. If you feel like you’ve been experiencing eyesight problems though, visit Vista Eye Specialists.
