"Permanent Hearing Damage"... Changes Caused by Doing 'This' for 5 Hours Daily Over 15 Years

Man Who Played Games Daily Wearing Headphones
Suddenly Collapsed and Diagnosed with Hearing Loss

A man who wore a headset for more than 5 hours every day while playing video games for 15 years revealed his story of suffering permanent hearing loss.

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Recently, foreign media including the UK Daily Mail reported the story of Avik Banerjee (38), a university lecturer living in Bristol, who suffered permanent hearing loss. He enjoyed gaming so much that he once won a global game tournament and received a prize of over 60 million won. He frequently wore a headset while gaming and was known to set the volume as loud as possible.

Then, in August last year, he suddenly felt dizzy and lost consciousness on his way home after work. A neighbor witnessed Banerjee and called an ambulance, rushing him to the hospital. He was diagnosed with damage to the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance.

Banerjee explained, "I can no longer hear distant sounds, so even if there is loud noise or music from afar, I cannot hear it," adding, "The doctor said I might need a hearing aid if it worsens." Currently, he has to visit the hospital every two months for balance tests. He emphasized, "People need to know that computer games can cause permanent damage."

According to a survey conducted by the multinational eyewear retail chain Specsavers on 1,000 adults who play video games, the average headset usage time was 260 hours per year. About 31% reported changes in their hearing after use.

Experts urged gamers to take frequent breaks to avoid putting too much strain on their ears and eyes while gaming. Dr. Amir Khan of the UK National Health Service (NHS) said, "Looking at Banerjee’s experience and research results, it is clear that when immersed in gaming, people tend to lose self-control and neglect the health of their eyes and ears." He suggested for a healthier gaming environment: lowering headset volume and limiting gaming time; choosing high-quality headphones or earphones to enjoy better sound and reduce the need to increase volume; and considering products with noise-canceling features to reduce surrounding noise.