A PRELIMINARY STUDY on THE EYE HEALTH of CASUAL VIDEO PLAYERS

8. Uluslararası İzmir Tıp, Hemşirelik, Ebelik ve Sağlık Bilimleri Kongresi, İzmir, Türkiye, 13 - 15 Nisan 2025, ss.206-2013, (Tam Metin Bildiri)

In recent years, with the increasing interest in digital games, video gaming (esports) has rapidly

developed into a competitive professional field, necessitating a multidimensional evaluation of players’

health conditions. The aim of this study is to analyze the retinal vascular structures of young adult video

gamers, assess their retinal health, and compare the findings with those reported in the literature.

Eighteen healthy male video gamers participated in the study (22,44 ± 2,35). Retinal vessel images

obtained from the participants were analyzed using a Static Retinal Vessel Analyzer (RVA). Through

fundus imaging, each participant’s central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE), central retinal venular

equivalent (CRVE), and arteriolar-to-venular ratio (AVR) were measured.

According to the findings, the average CRAE was 194.22 μm, CRVE was 222.45 μm, and AVR was

0.87. Compared to the reference values reported in physically active individuals, these results suggest a

lower retinal arteriolar diameter and a slightly lower AVR among video gamers.

In conclusion, the limited development of retinal microvascular structures in video gamers with

lower levels of physical activity, compared to physically active individuals, may be associated with

potential cardiovascular risks. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of physical activity

interventions on retinal microvascular parameters in this population.

Keywords: Esports, Video Player, Eye Health