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Narttaya Chaiwiang, Juthamanee Koo-akarakul Department of Optometry, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, ThailandCorrespondence: Juthamanee Koo-akarakul, Department of Optometry, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, 10240, Thailand, Email juthamanee.k@rumail.ru.ac.thPurpose: To determine the factors associated with eyestrain in esports athletes in Bangkok compared with controls.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between April and June 2023, involving 160 male participants (aged 20– 35 years) who used digital devices, consisting of esports athletes and a control group. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire (CVS-Q), and Depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21). Ophthalmic instruments were used for the eye examinations by an optometrist.Results: Seventy-six esports athletes showed significantly lower visual performance than controls in logMAR visual acuity (p < 0.020), phoria (p < 0.001), negative fusional vergence (blur, break, and recovery) (p < 0.012, p < 0.004 and p < 0.039), positive fusional vergence (blur, break, and recovery) (p < 0.005, p < 0.001 and p < 0.005), monocular estimation method (p < 0.001), monocular and binocular accommodative facility (p < 0.001), and vergence facility (p < 0.001). A study on risk factors for CVS found that esports athletes were significantly more likely to have CVS (p < 0.001). Work environments with high-intensity lighting significantly increase the risk of CVS compared to low-intensity lighting (p < 0.001). The use of a digital device for > 4 h/day, having a history of alcohol consumption, and stress significantly increased the risk of CVS (p < 0.001, p < 0.023, p < 0.048).Conclusion: This study found that esports athletes experienced vision health problems, indicating the need to prevent eyestrain caused by the use of digital devices.Keywords: esports athlete, eyestrain, CVS-Q, digital devices, visual performance

ESports were a form of sporting events that compete with strategy and fight each other based on computer games on the Internet which was popular with young people around the world. Thailand attached great importance to promoting ESports with the introduction of ESports in the National Youth Games. The objectives of this research were 1) to study computer game playing behavior among youths, 2) to study motivation of youth towards ESports, and 3) to study preparation for competition of ESports players. This research was a survey of 400 youth who interested in computer games and ESports with questionnaires. The statistics for data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Statistics for hypothesis testing was t-Test. The research results were found that the most of respondents were male and was a general game player who previously competed in ESports without being affiliated with a team. The differences in gamer behavior between general game players and ESports athletes consist of the amount of time spent on games, expenses, and playing games with other people. The motivation for ESports player was higher than general game players by statistically significantly at 0.05. The very different motivation for players were the ambition of being an ESports athlete, want to be like a role model, and rewards. The preparation for the competition of ESports athletes and players who were planning to ESports competition is not different about having a constant education of information and techniques in the game, when a team loses a match or plays a game, they often figure out how to play that game to victory, and there was a summary of the results in every practice.