Effects of Continuous Online Multiplayer Gaming on Ocular Health

Abstract

Purpose: To study the ocular effects of continuous online multiplayer gaming and reading using smartphones. Methodology: In the study, inclusion criteria were 25 active gamers and 25 readers between the ages of 18 to 25 years of either sex, and the Indian population with ametropia < ± 4.00D sph and -1.25 cyl. Exclusion criteria were subjects with a history of non-strabismic binocular vision anomalies, ocular surgery, strabismus, ocular trauma & pathologies, and systemic illness. The GAMERS were allowed to play PUBG for 2hrs, and READERS were allowed to read for 2hrs on their smartphones. The pre- and post-activity values were collected and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: There were significant changes in NPC with accommodative target and RG filter, monocular and binocular accommodative amplitudes, monocular and binocular accommodative facility, and vergence facility (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.05) among the GAMERS and READERS. No significant change in accommodative response, vergence amplitudes, tear film volume, and stability. The differences observed between the pre- and post-activity values of the binocular vision and tear film parameters were the same when compared between GAMERS and READERS (Mann Whitney U test, p>0.05). Conclusion: The ocular effects of GAMING are similar to continuous READING on mobile phones. However, the addictive nature of the activity "GAMING" could aggravate the ocular symptoms of exhaustive use.