Visual status of children who play video games for prolonged period

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Refractive errors are considered a public health problem in many countries as well as by the WHO. This study compares refractive errors in video game players (VGP) and non video game player (NVGP).

OBJECTIVE: To compare visual status of children who play video game for long periods and who do not play.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Refraction of 100 patients (200 eyes) was done of those who play video games (50) and those who do not (50), visiting Mayo Hospital Lahore and College Of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences (COAVS) Lahore. The parameters compared are spherical, cylindrical and axis value of VGPs and NVGPs, in age group 12 years and above were included in the study. Retinoscopy and subjective refraction were done in the individuals having visual acuity less than 6/9 in one or both eyes. Individuals having refractive errors were prescribed glasses.

RESULTS: The mean spherical, cylindrical and axis values are -0.9286 ± 1.59251 D (SE. 0.16087) and -1.2108 ± 2.05787 D (SE. 0.20376), -0.9107 ± 0.70001 D (SE. 0.07071) and -1.2500 ± 0.70798 D (SE. 0.7010), 90.510 ± 53.4312 (5.3974) and 97.539 ± 53.2764 (SE. 5.2751), respectively, of those who play video game and those who do not. Mann Whitney-U test showed no statistically significant difference of sphere (p= 0.055) and axis (p= 0.299),but shows marked difference in cylindrical value (p= 0.000) between those who play video game and those who do not.

CONCLUSION: Video game playing or close work may induce/ cause a change in astigmatism but not in overall spherical refractive status of the eye.