With many of our patients spending long hours staring straight ahead at multiple computer screens and blinking less often, patients are presenting with digital eye strain symptoms at higher rates in my practice. This statistic does not seem to be declining, especially with an increase in electronic device use and more gaming hours being clocked outside of the work day.

Video gaming is especially popular with my young adult patients and may pose some visual issues with contact lens wear. Many of these visual symptoms stem from playing long hours on these gaming systems. Make sure to probe for potential visual symptoms associated with these activities.

Patients may experience intermittent blurred vision, double vision, headaches, dry eyes, and even sleep disorders. Like patients who spend long hours on a computer for work, eyecare practitioners can help these patients with gaming space modification ideas (taking breaks, distance from their gaming screen, etc.) and a change in their contact lenses, if warranted. These patients are going to test the limits of their contact lenses; therefore, offer lenses that will match their wear style.

The Baseline Data

1. Start by understanding how patients use their eyes throughout the day. Proper questioning should yield how many hours per day they spend on a digital device and/or on gaming systems.
2. Next, determine the number of hours that patients wear their lenses per day, followed by how many of those hours are “comfortable” hours. Specifically, ask about their “gaming hours” comfort.

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Offer a Contact Lens Option

There are many contact lens options to offer depending on how patients want to wear their contact lenses.

1. If patients want to wear their lenses deep into the night, consider silicone hydrogel (SiHy) lens options that are approved for extended wear. These lenses will provide increased oxygen to the cornea for those long hours of wear, even if patients are not actually sleeping in their lenses.
2. If patients are experiencing dry eye symptoms due to a decreased blink rate, consider daily disposable options that will provide increased hydration during prolonged gaming hours. Daily disposable SiHy contact lenses may be an even better option.
3. If patients are experiencing focusing issues during gaming, consider a low-add multifocal or aspheric lens design. This increased accommodative demand at an intermediate and near viewing distance can be helped with a multifocal lens design. A daily disposable higher-Dk SiHy aspheric or multifocal lens may provide some needed accommodative relief. These multifocal contact lens designs are often considered for patients older than 40 years who are experiencing presbyopic visual symptoms, but in today’s digital gaming world, younger symptomatic patients may be overlooked.

Game On

Lens wearers may be even more likely to experience digital eye strain due to a decreased blink rate compared to those who wear eyeglasses only or who do not need corrective lenses. It is critical to take the time to address these issues clinically.

It is important to have multiple options in your tool bag. Overnight, SiHy, daily disposable, and aspheric or multifocal contact lens designs may improve the visual symptoms associated with increased hours of gaming. Stay focused on keeping your contact lens wearers happy with their vision and comfort by listening to their specific needs. CLS