Protecting your Eye Sight

Many Computer Gamers don’t have a second thought about eye strain or damage done while gaming, yet should they?

The National Institute on Health (NIH) indicates that playing in moderation can help, especially playing action games which improve things like reading and driving at night, as it requires attention to visual detail.

Yet, that is with moderation, and Recent studies show that Gamers were spending an increasing amount of time from 12.7 hours in 2019 to 16.5 hours per week in 2021. Statistics show that the number of eye diseases will double in the next few decades due to the overuse of electronic screens [1].

So if you don’t want to be part of these statistics, read this article for tips you can apply practically and simply for eye health.

4 General Tips to Keep a Good Eye Health

1. Exercise

If your favorite posture as a gamer is sitting comfortably on your sofa for hours, you should know that doing physical exercise at least three times a week for about 30 minutes can help you protect your eyes in several ways.

First, physical exercise is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, conditions that can lead to cataracts. Plus, exercise also contributes to lowering intraocular pressure and increasing blood flow to the delicate organs of your eyes, reducing the risk of glaucoma [2, 3].

2. Give your eyes rest regularly

20/20/20, this is the rule that, according to The National Eye Institute [4], should be part of your gaming life: every 20 minutes, turn to look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Similarly, reducing the time you spend indoors and increasing the time spent outdoors can reduce the risk of long-term vision loss [5]. And don’t forget to sleep between 6 to 8 hours a day, so your eyes will always be ready to play on your favorite devices.

3. Protect your eyes from the Sun

The Sun emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and this, over time, can cause various problems for your eye health, most notably cataracts. In this case, it’s recommended to protect your eyes when you go out by wearing lenses with UVA and UVB protection. Just make sure that they offer 100% protection against these types of radiation [6].

4. Eat the right foods

One of the most important steps to maintaining eye health is to be careful with your diet. In general, it’s OK if you follow a varied diet, but there are certain nutrients that contribute especially to good vision, such as the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as Omega-3 fatty acids and certain vitamins and minerals [7, 8].

In the next section, you’ll learn about those foods that can provide you with the perfect balance of nutrients to keep your eyes always ready for intense digital action.

Top 8 Foods to Keep a Good Eye Health

1. Fish

The different varieties of fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, trout, or sardines, are especially rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Some studies [9] indicate that these oils can prevent and even cure certain eye conditions, such as dry eye and some age-related vision conditions.

2. Nuts and seeds

Eating a variety of Nuts (Unless you have Allegories to nuts, of course) and even some seeds such as chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds are also foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, they have significant amounts of vitamin E, an element that acts as a protective agent for your eyes tissues [10]. Nuts are an awesome Gamer Snack.

3. Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are very useful foods for visual health due to their high content of vitamin C [10]. This vitamin is responsible for producing collagen around your eyes, but it also helps you better absorb the rest of the vitamins and nutrients in your body.

Citrus fruits also contribute to healthy blood vessels in your eyes and reduce the chance of macular deterioration and the risk of developing cataracts, thanks to their cardiovascular protection [11].

4. Red paprika

In addition to the color and exquisite flavor that it gives to foods, red paprika has a series of substances that can significantly improve your vision. 

On the one hand, it provides vitamins A and E – hence the bright red hue – which optimize your night vision. It also provides antioxidants that fight macular degeneration and vitamin C to prevent some of the most common eye diseases [12]. The next time you order pizza for your night gaming session, ask for a lot of red paprika on it – if you like it of course.

5. Leafy green vegetables

Here we talk about vegetables such as spinach, chard, kale, among others. These vegetables have a high content of lutein and zeaxanthin [7, 8]. You already know that these antioxidants allow you to see details better and prevent the appearance of certain problems, such as macular deterioration or dry eye syndrome.

6. Carrots

You’ve probably heard from a very young age that carrots are good for your eyes, but you probably don’t know why. First, carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a substance that prevents early eye degeneration.

On the other hand, carrots also contain a lot of vitamin A, an element that helps improve the photoreceptors of your eyes [13]. That is, it improves your vision in low light conditions, which is ideal if you’re a kind of Ninja gamer or something like that.

7. Eggs

Eggs are one of the most complete foods you can consume, and their great contribution to protein demonstrates this, but also in nutrients such as vitamin A, thiamin, and iron, elements that are very important for your visual health.

But in addition, eggs are an important source of lutein and zeaxanthin [14], nutrients that reduce the chance of cataracts and macular degeneration. 

8. Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate rich in cocoa has a series of antioxidants called flavonoids, which improve the quality of your vision significantly [15]. Additionally, dark chocolate can assist your circulatory system, and thanks to its high content of zinc, it helps reduce cellular oxidation of the cells of your retinas.

That is, before rushing out to buy chocolate, make sure that it contains between 70% and 90% cocoa and try to consume it without sugar – or with very little sugar – if you really want to obtain any benefit.

Final Thoughts

Gaming in the real-world ensures you have vitality and longevity in the virtual world and eating healthy & staying active is a common theme, yet I find the 20/20/20 rule awesome, yet I would add:

20/20/20 Rule
Every 20 minutes, take a 20 second walk and look at objects 20 feet or more away.