Video games help eyesight, research finds

By CRAIG BROWN
Published on Saturday 18 February 2012 01:41

VIOLENT “shooter” video games can improve the sight of adults afflicted by cataracts since birth, a study has found.

The games appear to “rewire” parts of the brain’s visual cortex. Scientists think the visual challenges of surviving in a threatening virtual environment can actually repair damaged neurons.

The discovery came after an experiment involving six adults aged 19 to 31 who had been born with congenital cataracts which cloud the eyes. Even after having vision corrected with surgery and contact lenses, children with the condition can end up with permanently poor sight. The study showed that some of these effects can be reversed by a short programme of video gaming.

Psychologist Dr Daphne Maurer, from McMaster University in Canada, who led the research, said: “After playing an action video game for just 40 hours over four weeks, the patients were better at seeing small print, the direction of moving dots, and the identity of faces.

Not any video game will do, though, it has to be the kind of game that involves vigilance, recognising contrasts of light and shade, and spotting events happening at the edge of vision.

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