Eyes starting to hurt when gaming

[Deleted]

I decided to turn to you gamers on MMO-Champion for tips on this, considering you probably spend alot of time in front of your computer, getting headaches sometimes.

sometimes when gaming my eyes can suddently start to hurt even tho I havn't been playing for long, I've noticed that going to the bathroom and putting some cold water on your eyes or putting something cold on them can help, and I know, you're going to tell me to go out or go to bed or something but the problem is that this can happen during raiding or something and I refuse to just leave my guildies behind.

Since you're gamers I'm sure you have some tips and tricks on what to do when you get headaches and such. I've been trying to take painkillers but I realize that's not very good for my kidney.

[Catharlex]

Have you had an eye exam recently? Often times if your eyes are being strained that early into a gaming session, you could easily have an issues with your eyes that could require glasses or contacts.

[Deleted]

There's a couple of possible reasons for your problem, you might want to get glasses (unless you already have) or invest in eyedrops that restores your eyes natural liquids. My best bet would be to get a time at your local optician and get them to help you figure it out.
Good luck!

[Mteq]

- take a break every 2 hours. for atleast 10 minutes and preferably go somewhere you can look long distance. (out the window etc)
- sit further away from your monitor. 0-1 mtr is usually not particulairly healthy.
- turn down the brightness and contrast of your monitor.

[Deleted]

I remember when I went to the school sister and did the letter on the wall test, I remember that one of my eyes couldn't see the 3 lowest rows clear while my other could. She said that it made up for the other one but I'm still going to get checked.

[Deleted]

You could have Astigmatism. That's what I have. Both my eyes see different, at different distances.

Do you have glasses? And did your eyes hurt sometimes when you didn't?

[Deleted]

In addition, are you having your area properly lit? This is really a case-by-case problem I fear, personally I can sit for days behind a monitor in a dark room without issues but a light source other than your monitor is often better.

Then there's also the chance that the field of view of the game you're playing is too low/too high which can cause headaches.
But yes, get your eyes checked out.

[strangerdanger]

get your eyes checked out. you probably just need to correct your vision. I have an astigmatism also but I'm pretty sure that only matters when it comes to getting contacts because it's an irregularity in the shape of the eye.

[Deleted]

Make sure the room is well lit. Having a black, dark room and a bright rectangle (i.e. the monitor) in front of you is bad for your eyes.

[Burritaco]

I googled your symptoms, you have a brain tumor.

[Anjerith]

Honestly if this is occuring regularly then you NEED to "just leave your guildies" until you can get examined.

[Deleted]

I googled your symptoms, you have a brain tumor.

You should be a doctor!

[Ruffsnuff]

Getting a 120hz monitor might fix this, when I had a 60hz my eyes always hurt after playing for a long time.

Ever since I got one with 120hz I've never had any problems even after very long (10 hours) sessions.

It makes it possible to view 120 frames per second which eases the strain on your eyes.

[Runenwächter]

as for the eyes the lens gets harder the older you get, so the muscles that control it have to work harder. those muscles can be a source of pain because they are exhausted. this effect usually appears later in your life but if you are for example slightly farsighted the muscles have to work much harder even early on.

[Deleted]

Yes, I have glasses. And yes, my eyes hurt when I didn't have them, which is why I went to get them checked out.

I have a Astigmatism and I am nearsighted.

If you need glasses, but don't have them, it causes your eyes to hurt because they are constantly having to focus.

Important question 2.
When did you get your glasses? If it's been a year or longer, go have your eyes re-tested. Even when wearing them your eyesight may slowly deteriorate.
I do lots of PC related work and I go check every 2 years. 6 years ago I was diagnosed with -.5 in one eye, which was probably the cause of blinding headaches at the end of my workday.
Last time I went it was up to -.75, and -.25 in the other... thus my suggestion to go and re-test.

[Endus]

Do you have glasses? And did your eyes hurt sometimes when you didn't?

Like Celticmoon, I've got astigmatism too, and have worn glasses for the last 12 years for it. I definitely get headaches if I try and focus on things for any length of time without my glasses; if you can't mechanically focus your eyes due to some optical condition, your brain doesn't know that, and keeps trying to focus them. So they get tired and sore. Gaming in particular would drive your brain nuts, because it's a set view distance and all of it should be in focus.

[Deleted]

Go to an optician and get your eyes checked out.

Also if it persists, go get an MRI, just in case of the worst.

[Cryonic]

Also try to have the screen closer/further away.

I had a little tense eyes before but that went away when I started using two screens, guess thats because I move my eyes more often or something.

[Odayaka]

You could have Astigmatism. That's what I have. Both my eyes see different, at different distances.

I also have an Astigmatism. I had the same problem, OP. My eyes and head would hurt after a short time of reading or gaming. I especially noticed it after working on homework and staring at my textbooks for hours. I got my eyes checked and they gave me a light prescription to wear when reading or on the computer or driving at night (another time when my eyes would hurt; I had problems with depth perception at night). Since I got my glasses, everything has been a lot better in terms of my eyes or head hurting. I rarely get headaches anymore.

Like others have said, take frequent breaks, look at something farther away than your computer screen (I like to stare out my window near my desk and watch the sky).

Good luck!

[Pum]

I remember when I went to the school sister and did the letter on the wall test, I remember that one of my eyes couldn't see the 3 lowest rows clear while my other could. She said that it made up for the other one but I'm still going to get checked.

I have exactly the same thing. My right eye has perfect vision and my left eye is "slightly lazy" according to the optician, and when I close my right eye my vision slightly blurs and I can't read anything properly.

I was getting headaches from prolonged gaming/studying because the right eye was working that much harder to keep everything perfect and to balance the 'errors' of my left eye.

I suggest going to the opticians.