Literature review assesses risks of video games triggering seizures in children, suggesting visual stimuli management as a preventive strategy.
Introduction and Aim: This narrative review aims to assess the potential risks of video games in triggering photosensitive epilepsy (VGA) in children and adolescents, with particular focus on the most significant visual risk factors and evidence-based preventive strategies. Content of the Review: A comprehensive review of literature indexed in the PubMed (Medline) database between 1990 and 2024 was conducted. The review discusses the clinical history and neurophysiological mechanisms of video game-related seizures, the impact of visual stimuli (e.g., flashing lights between 3-50 Hz, high-contrast colors, full-screen effects), and risk variability in pediatric populations. Conclusions: Video games may provoke epileptic seizures in children and adolescents with photosensitive or photogenic epilepsy. Awareness of the primary visual triggers and adherence to prevention guidelines can significantly reduce seizure risk during gameplay.
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Białobłocki et al. (2025) studied this question.
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