American Optometric Association Creates Mobile Game to Promote Eye Health
American Optometric Association Creates Mobile Game to Promote Eye Health
American Optometric Association Creates Mobile Game to Promote Eye Health
By Mark Athitakis
August 9, 2023
Summary
A leading medical association has translated its concern about gamers' eye health into an educational game.
In June, the American Optometric Association released Blink Land, a free mobile game that offers tips for players about addressing eye strain via quizzes and other in-game challenges.
The game also includes a link to a page on the AOA website where players can find an optometrist.
According to Dr. Belinda Starkey, an AOA trustee, the game is just the latest part of AOA's efforts to encourage people to see an eye doctor, now that more people spend more time on screens.
A related campaign, the Screen Time Alliance, launched in 2022, with a specific focus on gamers, in response to AOA research that found that fewer than half of gamers scheduled annual eye exams, but that the average gamer experiences "Various eye-related symptoms from gaming, including eye strain, headaches, dry eyes, and blurred vision."
The game, which is available for free for iOS and Android devices, officially launched on June 15 at AOA's annual conference in Washington, DC. Since then, Starkey said the game has been downloaded approximately 1,500 times, adding that in time the game can help AOA meet its goal of encouraging more gamers to visit an eye doctor-who, Starkey notes, can often detect other non-vision-related ailments via an eye exam.
"The hope is that 'Blink Land' will encourage more gamers to think about their eyes as their most important gaming accessory-that they establish a relationship with a doctor of optometry if they don't already have one, in order to maintain their eyesight," she said.
Reference
Athitakis, M. (2023, August 9). American Optometric Association creates mobile game to Promote Eye Health. Associations Now. https://associationsnow.com/2023/08/american-optometric-association-creates-mobile-game-to-promote-eye-health/