Which Video Games Cause The Most Eye Strain? A New Study Ranks The Top 10

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, discover which popular video games cause the most eye strain according to a recent study and find out where your favorite titles rank on the vision risk list.

Long hours glued to screens and digital displays take a heavy toll on vision, yet certain competitive titles accelerate eye fatigue faster than others. A comprehensive May 2026 report by Overnight Glasses reveals that Marvel Rivals claims the top spot as the worst online game for overall eye health.

Researchers evaluated twenty popular multiplayer and cross-platform titles by measuring daily session durations, on-screen head-up display metrics, focus demands, and natural blink rates to uncover the hidden physical costs of modern gaming habits.

', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 90, ', 'params' : {} }; ', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 90, ', 'params' : {} }; / “>“>

Understanding Vision Risks in Gaming

Recent research reveals that players blink up to sixty percent less during competitive matches compared to normal, relaxed screen time. This lack of blinking stops tears from spreading across the eyes, which leads directly to severe dryness and exhaustion. When combined with everyday phone use, modern digital habits mean that eyes rarely receive proper rest.

Top 5 Games Causing the Most Eye Strain

1. Marvel Rivals

• Daily Session Time: 96 minutes (1.5 hours)
• Focus Demand: High
• HUD Element Count: 20
• Match Duration: 15 minutes
• Daily Active Users: 70,000
• Eye Strain Risk Index: 99

Long hours glued to screens and digital displays take a heavy toll on vision, yet certain competitive titles accelerate eye fatigue faster than others. A comprehensive May 2026 report by Overnight Glasses reveals that Marvel Rivals claims the top spot as the worst online game for overall eye health. Developed by NetEase Games in collaboration with Marvel Games, this free-to-play, third-person multiplayer hero shooter lets players battle using iconic comic book heroes and villains like Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the Hulk.

However, this fast-paced cooperative chaos comes with a hidden physical cost. Researchers evaluated twenty popular multiplayer titles by measuring daily session durations, on-screen head-up display metrics, focus demands, and natural blink rates to uncover why the game places such intense strain on human eyesight.

2. Rust

• Daily Session Time: 180 minutes (3 hours)
• Focus Demand: High
• HUD Element Count: 4
• Match Duration: N/A
• Daily Active Users: 250,000
• Eye Strain Risk Index: 92

Rust features some of the longest daily sessions in the gaming world, averaging three hours per player. Developed by Facepunch Studios, this brutal multiplayer survival game drops players into a harsh, open-world environment where they must scavenge resources, build shelters, and forge alliances from scratch.

Because the survival format lacks natural match endpoints or pause buttons, players must maintain sustained alertness around the clock to defend their bases against rival raids. This relentless cycle of vigilance keeps eye muscles locked in high tension for hours, giving vision very little opportunity to relax or recover.

3. League of Legends

• Daily Session Time: 105 minutes
• Focus Demand: Medium
• HUD Element Count: 20
• Match Duration: 30 minutes
• Daily Active Users: 35,000,000
• Eye Strain Risk Index: 86

League of Legends supports a massive daily audience of thirty-five million users while packing twenty separate elements onto the display. Developed and published by Riot Games, this iconic multiplayer online battle arena title requires two teams of powerful champions to clash with the ultimate goal of destroying the opposing base.

However, managing that victory demands intense visual tracking. Minimaps, ability cooldowns, and gold counters demand non-stop visual scanning across the cluttered interface. Even during brief strategic pauses, players keep their eyes locked tightly on potential threats, accelerating visual fatigue.

4. Fortnite

• Daily Session Time: 132 minutes (over 2 hours)
• Focus Demand: High
• HUD Element Count: 10
• Match Duration: 22 minutes
• Daily Active Users: 30,000,000
• Eye Strain Risk Index: 83

Fortnite players average six rounds lasting about twenty-two minutes each. Developed by Epic Games, this massive cross-platform battle royale phenomenon drops up to one hundred players onto a shrinking island to fight for the last-person-standing title.

Navigating that frantic competition creates distinct physical hazards. High-stakes survival mechanics cause participants to stop blinking normally, which quickly dries out their eyes during prolonged matches. On top of that, tracking ten distinct on-screen counters adds further visual fatigue throughout these extended play sessions.

5. PUBG: Battlegrounds

• Daily Session Time: 113 minutes (nearly 2 hours)
• Focus Demand: High
• HUD Element Count: 11
• Match Duration: 30 minutes
• Daily Active Users: 875,000
• Eye Strain Risk Index: 73

PUBG forces eyes to scan massive open maps for distant targets, which strains eye muscles more than close-range titles do. Developed by Krafton, this pioneering tactical battle royale title drops players onto sprawling, realistic terrains where they must scavenge for gear and outlast opponents.

Surviving those harsh environments requires intense visual concentration. Players must track eleven different screen displays and constantly hunt the horizon across grueling thirty-minute matches. This unrelenting focal effort prevents normal relaxation periods, significantly increasing long-term vision risks.

Remaining Top 10 Games and Risk Factors

Beyond the top five, mobile and cross-platform games also create significant eye strain.

• 6. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: Risk index of 67 (108-minute daily sessions, 15 HUD elements, 8.5 million daily users)
• 7. Free Fire: Risk index of 65 (90-minute daily sessions, 13 HUD elements, 46 million daily users)
• 8. Dota 2: Risk index of 58 (107-minute daily sessions, 13 HUD elements, 1.6 million daily users)
• 9. Genshin Impact: Risk index of 58 (118-minute daily sessions, 11 HUD elements, 4.3 million daily users)
• 10. Roblox: Risk index of 55 (118-minute daily sessions, 15 HUD elements, 144.5 million daily users)