NEW TAIPEI CITY, TAIWAN — Pokémon GO has taken Taiwan by storm. Last month, hoards of players were caught rushing through streets in capital, Taipei, in search of a rare pokemon. But now, doctors say people are spending so much time staring at their phones that some are actually starting to go blind.

Ophthalmologist Chen Yu-an from New Taipei City Hospital diagnosed a pregnant 31-year-old Pokemon Go obsessive with macular degeneration after she lost sight in one eye. The condition is caused by the deterioration

of the central portion of the retina, known as the macula, the inside back layer of the eye that records images and sends them through the optic nerve to the brain.

When the cells of the macula deteriorate, images are not received correctly. In severe cases, central vision may be completely lost, while the peripheral vision may stay in tact.

Ultraviolet, or UV, light harmful to the eye and may contribute to macular degeneration. UV light is the part of the spectrum below 400 nanometers.

While the most abundant source of UV light is the sun, other sources include video display terminals such as computer monitors, tablets and smartphones.

The doctor recommended injections into the eyeball to inhibit blood congestion, but he said the patient refused, fearing it would affect her baby.

He also noted another patient of his, a 40-year-old engineer, had a relapse of the inflammation of the iris because from playing the game nonstop since its launch in early August. He said he has seen the number of his patients increase by 20 percent over the past three weeks.