{"id":20513,"date":"2022-01-24T11:01:17","date_gmt":"2022-01-24T11:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=20513"},"modified":"2022-01-24T11:01:17","modified_gmt":"2022-01-24T11:01:17","slug":"can-gaming-cause-myopia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/healthy-eyes-for-life-8-ideas-to-teach-children\/can-gaming-cause-myopia\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Gaming Cause Myopia?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>If your child spends hours gaming, here\u2019s what you need to know about how it can increase their risk of myopia.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>In the last decade, gaming has become a popular recreational activity among children and adolescents. However, gaming has led to a significant increase in screen time and for some youth, an addiction, called \u2018online gaming disorder\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><b>More than 2 billion people play video games worldwide, and by 2023, this number is likely to surpass 3 billion.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>According to these 2021 statistics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">About 3-4% of gamers have a video game addiction.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">The prevalence of online gaming disorder was over 3.0% \u2014 which is at least 60 million people.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Around 8.5% of children and teens ages 8-18 suffer from gaming disorder.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Is there a link between online gaming and myopia?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b><i>Yes!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The <\/b><b><i>British Journal of Ophthalmology (2019) <\/i><\/b><b>reported that children who spend more than three hours per day in front of a digital device are four times more likely to become myopic.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Children who spend a significant amount of time in front of the screen are at a heightened risk of myopia development, as well as myopia progression.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia\/\">Myopia<\/a>, also known as nearsightedness, is a condition that causes distant objects to appear blurry. Myopia can be caused by both genetic and environmental factors, such as extended screen time or daily prolonged near vision activities.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, researchers found that younger children, ages 6-7 are five times more likely to develop myopia than children who are not exposed to digital screens.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <i>Sydney Adolescent Vascular and Eye Study (2013)<\/i>, a delay in myopia development was found among children who spent at least 21 hours per week outdoors.<\/p>\n<p><b>SEE RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/healthy-eyes-for-life-8-ideas-to-teach-children\/the-truth-about-gaming-and-your-childs-vision\/\">The Truth About Gaming and Your Child\u2019s Vision<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>If your child has myopia, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">schedule a myopia consultation with an eye doctor near you<\/a><\/b><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find an eye doctor near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h2><b>What can parents do?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Although online gaming has become a popular, recreational activity, extensive online gaming can increase your child\u2019s risk of myopia.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>It is therefore important for parents to be aware of how much time their child spends on their gaming device, as well as in front of other screens, and limit their exposure as much as possible.<\/p>\n<p><b>Most eye doctors recommend children spend at least two hours of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia\/the-benefits-of-outdoor-play-for-children-with-myopia\/\">outdoor play<\/a> per day to reduce the risk of myopia.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Limiting screen time may encourage your child to spend more time outdoors\u2014 which will not only promote healthy habits, but will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/healthy-eyes-for-life-8-ideas-to-teach-children\/\">protect their eyes and vision<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><b>What is myopia management?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>If you are concerned about your child\u2019s myopia, speak to your eye doctor about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-myopia-management\/\">myopia management<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Children, teens, and young adults who are experiencing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia\/why-is-my-childs-myopia-worsening\/\">worsening nearsightedness<\/a> each year, are ideal candidates for myopia management.<\/p>\n<p>Myopia management treatments involve the use of specialty <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-myopia-management\/myopia-management\/myopia-management-the-optical-strategy\/\">eyeglasses,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia-management\/myopia-management-which-contact-lenses\/\">contact lenses<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-myopia-management\/myopia-management\/myopia-management-does-atropine-work\/\">eye drops,<\/a> all proven to slow or halt the progression of myopia.<\/p>\n<p><b>Myopia management has been shown to reduce myopia progression by up to 71 percent.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Reducing myopia is vital to lower the risk of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia\/should-i-be-worried-about-myopia\/\">sight-threatening eye diseases correlated with high myopia<\/a>, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/glaucoma-guide\/\">glaucoma<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/guide-to-cataracts\/\">cataracts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/macular-degeneration-guide\/\">macular degeneration<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/guide-to-retinal-diseases\/retinal-detachment\/\">retinal detachment.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>LEARN\u00a0 MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/\">Children&#8217;s Vision<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you<\/a> to find out if your child can benefit from myopia management.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i>An estimated 8.5% of children and teens ages 8-18 suffer from a gaming disorder.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Could gaming be adding to the explosion of myopia in today\u2019s children?<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your child spends hours gaming, here\u2019s what you need to know about how it can increase their risk of myopia. In the last decade,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1206,"featured_media":20514,"parent":17829,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20513","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Can Gaming Cause Myopia? - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/healthy-eyes-for-life-8-ideas-to-teach-children\/can-gaming-cause-myopia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can Gaming Cause Myopia? - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If your child spends hours gaming, here\u2019s what you need to know about how it can increase their risk of myopia. 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