eye strain

[parnellllll]

Does anyone get dizzy or have visual issues when playing? My sessions are generally 4 or 5 hours long once a week, but also spend a few hours a day on a laptop. Recently after just a couple hours of VP I seem to feel a little sea sickish. I am in my 50's, but i sure hear of people older than me playing like 5 hrs almost daily and not having issues. I am thinking VP takes a lot more visual intensity than say a slot machine. I am also one who intently studies a hand afraid to make a mistake. I play about 600 hands an hour.

[Eduardo]

I would think a slot machine could be as bad or worse with all the movement. Staring at any screen for that long can become a problem for many people. They make special glasses for computer screens that may help? Also, I would be sure to take breaks to give your eyes a rest at least once an hour.

[rascal]

Whether it is a computer screen or a video poker machine, you need to look away and focus elsewhere very frequently. Find something in the distance that you can focus on every ten minutes or so, and then do so for at least 30 seconds. Your symptoms are very common for many people who sit in front of a computer for a long period of time.

[Jimmy Hickey]

I also find my vision gets weak during a long session of vp at the casino. It helps if I get up and walk around once an hour. My doctor suggested Amber tinted glasses, which cancel out most of the blue light which he said can cause eye fatigue. They definitely help!

[nose]

I am 53, and have trouble playing VP longer than 3 hrs. without getting blurry vision.

[hd57]

Yes this has happened to me. When I play a large amount of hands I find the need to get up and walk around to adjust my vision. I am 62 and love to play but I can't sit for hours straight. Great fun but tough on the eyes.

[paco13]

Add me to the list of symptom sufferer's. I also get a terrible headache.

[PRC_AOT]

Posting achievement...visine can help in smoky casinos.

[Bobbi]

Funny thing - my eyes bother me when I work and stare at my computer all day but I can sit at a vp machine for hours and hours and not have a problem.

[slowfoot]

There are several factors which can contribute to visual fatigue while playing. Unless you are naturally near sighted, your eyes must work to focus on objects that are close. Additionally for anyone over 40ish the ability of the eye to focus on near objects is diminished, this is why many people over 40 need readers or some type of bifocal eyeglasses. To relax the accomadative effort of the eye every 20 minutes look 20 feet away for 20 seconds (the 20/20/20 rule for computer vision syndrome).

Also, when people stare at any type of computer display their blink rate drops, this causes the eye to dry from lack of fresh tear film. Make an effort to blink more often.

Also, as mentioned earlier, eyeglasses that reduce blue light can be beneficial.