For 2023’s Eye Deserve More campaign, the American Optometric Association (AOA) recognizes that with gaming and screen time on the rise, the risk of ocular-related issues are too. Specifically, according to the AOA’s 2022 Gamer Survey results, the average gamer experiences eye-related symptoms, such as eye strain, headaches, dry eye, and blurred vision; less than half of the respondents (46%) say they visit an eye care professional for an annual comprehensive exam.
To better educate gamers on eye health, the AOA launched the mobile game Blink Land (see “‘Gamer Docs’ help make Blink Land”) and is advising ODs on how they can best talk to their patients about screen time.
‘GAMER DOCS’ HELP MAKE BLINK LAND
To educate the public on how screen time and eye health are connected, the AOA, with the help of game design studio Midnight Hour Games, released the free mobile game Blink Land on iOS and Android devices. The game has players create a cartoon avatar and move around a game board with the help of Blink, the game’s mascot, who will ask them eye care trivia questions and challenge them to mini-games.
Christina Miller, OD, was one of several “gamer docs” – ODs who were also avid gamers, including two members of the AOA board – who served on a committee to help create Blink Land. Dr. Miller and the other “gamer docs” offered input, such as ensuring the wording for the trivia questions were medically accurate and easy to understand, and making sure the game’s color palette could be seen by players who have color deficiencies.
Dr. Miller was also responsible for adding a feature to the game – the game will advise the player to take a “20-20-20” break, where after 20 minutes of play they are encouraged to look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds to reduce digital eye strain.
Dr. Miller says the experience was “really cool,” especially because Blink Land was inspired in part by a favorite game of her and her husband’s, “Mario Party.” “It was neat to see a game I love be integrated with something else I love, patient care,” she says.
Dr. Miller, who teaches at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn., says she shared the game with her students and that she thinks it will be a good way to teach eye care. “Hopefully we will continue to use it for years to come,” she says. OM
One of the misconceptions the campaign hopes to address is how broad the term “gamer” is — it can include anyone from professional gamers to those who play games for a few minutes on their phone. Regardless of the amount of play time or the screen used, a discussion of good eye habits can benefit all gamers, explains Christina Miller, OD, liaison for the Eye Deserve More campaign and avid gamer.
To bring the topic up with a patient, Dr. Miller advises asking how many hours per day a patient spends in front of a screen, both for work and fun. If they say they spend more than 8 hours a day in front of a screen a screen, Dr. Miller and the AOA recommend using the following steps for discussing eye care during the visit:
- Ask patients whether they have blurry vision or dry eyes near the end of the day. Dr. Miller says that asking this is a good way to start the conversation about proper eye care related to screentime. If a patient reports blurry vision after staring at screens all day, for example, that’s a sign their eyes have dried out. In such cases, advise the patient to stay hydrated while gaming, use artificial tears if needed, and return to you if the dryness gets worse.
- Share the 20-20-20 Rule. To prevent digital eye strain in patients, the AOA recommends the “20-20-20” rule, which can be explained to patients like this: “in order to give your eyes a break, after looking at a digital device for 20 minutes you should look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will help reduce digital eye strain.” As part of the rule, Dr. Miller advises patients to look out a window and blink repeatedly.
- Discus maintaining proper screen distance. The ideal distance from a screen to prevent digital eye strain is 16 inches away from the user, says Dr. Miller. You can discuss that with patients like this: “When you play video games, do you sit on the couch and play on the television, or do you use a phone, computer, or handheld device that’s closer to your face? Devices closer to your face can cause more eye strain, so try to put some extra inches between you and your screen if you play up close.”
- Recommend specialty glasses. Dr. Miller recommends specialty glasses for her gamer patients. You can discuss these with patients like so: “If you regularly game up close, a prescription for ‘computer distance’ glasses can be helpful. You can also get glasses with blue light coating, which can help reduce eye fatigue related to digital device use.”
Not just for gamers
While the focus of AOA’s campaign this year is on gamers, these tips are just as useful for anyone who spends several hours a day looking at a screen for work or pleasure, says Dr. Miller. The effects of digital eye strain can be compounded if a patient spends their work or school hours using a computer and then unwinds with another screen for entertainment. More advice on gaming and digital eye strain from the AOA, which you can share with patients, can be found at bit.ly/AOAdigitaleye strain . For more information on the “Eye Deserve More” campaign, visit bit.ly/AOAeyedeservemore . OM
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