A former Taiwanese esports athlete who once represented the region at the Asian Games has developed an extreme eye condition after years of intensive gaming and prolonged use of electronic devices, including mobile games. Doctors discovered that both of his eyes had developed nearly 1,000 “eye stones”, marking what is believed to be a rare medical case.
According to United Daily News, the patient sought medical help after experiencing severe redness, itching, excessive tearing, and intense pain described as feeling like being cut by a blade. He also reported significant discomfort that affected his daily functioning.
An examination conducted by Professor Hung Chi-ting from the Department of Ophthalmology at Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology revealed that the inner eyelids of both eyes were covered with numerous calcified deposits. The right eye contained around 600 stones, while the left had approximately 400, bringing the total close to 1,000.
Doctors explained that eye stones, also known as conjunctival concretions, are formed when debris and secretions accumulate and harden due to chronic dry eye or long-term inflammation. In this case, many of the deposits had already protruded onto the surface of the conjunctiva, repeatedly scraping the cornea with each blink, similar to sandpaper, causing multiple corneal abrasions and significantly reducing vision to around 0.4–0.5.
Medical teams used a microscope-guided procedure with fine needles to remove the deposits and temporarily relieve the patient’s symptoms. However, due to the nature of his profession requiring continuous screen exposure, the condition quickly recurred within three months, with even larger deposits forming.
As a result of persistent eye pain and worsening vision, the esports player has reportedly been unable to continue competing.
Experts note that prolonged use of smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices significantly increases the risk of dry eye syndrome, with studies suggesting prevalence rates as high as 60% among heavy users. Around half of these individuals may also develop eye stones.
Doctors emphasise that removal of the deposits only provides temporary relief, and without changes in screen habits, recurrence rates can reach 30% to 50%. They recommend the widely used “20-20-20 rule”, which advises taking a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet (about 6 metres) away after every 20 minutes of screen use, to help reduce eye strain.
