AfterDawn: News

Video games are 'good' for your eyes?

According to some new research, even though your mother told you that you would go blind from playing video games, the activity may have the opposite effect. University of Rochester conducted a study which showed that people who played video games for a few hours daily over the course of a month improved their vision by about 20%.

"Action video game play changes the way our brains process visual information," explained Daphne Bavelier, professor of brain and cognitive sciences. "These games push the human visual system to the limits and the brain adapts to it. That learning carries over into other activities and possibly everyday life."



Bavelier and a graduate student tested a group of students who had played either very few or no games at all over the past year. After receiving an eye test, the subjects were divided into two groups; one which played shoot-em-up action games for an hour a day and one who played less complex and action-packed games.

After the study, the vision of the subjects was tested again showing the results. As a matter of interest, those who played the games with more action scored better on the eye exam.

Source:
Reuters

Written by: James Delahunty @ 7 Feb 2007 7:17

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• 16 comments

• crzydudea

  WOW.... someone FINALLY proved it....

  7.2.2007 07:33 #1

• bat395

  Maybe it'll counter the effects of all that masturbation... unless mom lied about that too.

  7.2.2007 07:52 #2

• solarf

  Im calling my mother right now and telling he how wrong she was.

  7.2.2007 07:53 #3

• solarf

  Originally posted by bat395:Maybe it'll counter the effects of all that masturbation... unless mom lied about that too.
  
  lol, to funny.

  7.2.2007 07:54 #4

• OneMember

  Originally posted by solarf:Im calling my mother right now and telling he how wrong she was.I will call to my mother also :D
  
  And I will need more games to keep my eye in good shape...

  7.2.2007 11:05 #5

• arcanix

  Well this explains it all. I've been gaming since late 80's, and my vision has only improved over that time.

  7.2.2007 11:28 #6

• bobiroc

  Maybe that explains why everyone in my family had glasses by their teenage years except for me.

  7.2.2007 11:51 #7

• cashman91

  if have 21/20 vision and i have been playing games for years i agree with this STMT

  7.2.2007 12:09 #8

• andy409

  i have shitty eyes

  7.2.2007 16:02 #9

• AlmostOz

  Originally posted by arcanix:Well this explains it all. I've been gaming since late 80's, and my vision has only improved over that time.i doubt pong and alex the kidd improve your eyes :P

  7.2.2007 18:56 #10

• Z3120

  I can only recall playing something like Kingdom Hearts which gave me more headaches after I played then better eye coordination. Though it makes me wonder, what was the reason I stopped playing fps games lately if it was healthy for me? (ponders)

  7.2.2007 21:47 #11

• Blackjax

  Quote:Originally posted by arcanix:Well this explains it all. I've been gaming since late 80's, and my vision has only improved over that time.i doubt pong and alex the kidd improve your eyes :PPong was from the 70's. Yikes I justed dated myself! :(

  8.2.2007 00:56 #12

• Venom5880

  I must just be unlucky then since my vision has only gotten worse over time and I've been playing games since I was a toddler...
  
  Then again, poor vision seems to run in my family, so I'm probably not the best example.

  8.2.2007 02:08 #13

• TheJoxter

  Now all they need to do is prove that watching T.V. doesn't rot your brains.

  8.2.2007 10:42 #14

• plazma247

  Actually, it’s probably not going to improve your eye sight from a focal point say as the way as say correcting short/long sightedness.
  
  However, its worth noting that those people who actually have slight mild to long sighted will be happy to know you get improved vision as they hit 50 - 60 as you naturally start to go short sighted at this point.
  
  Tho, in old age your eyes are not as quick to focus, hence why many older people get vari focals.
  
  Which brings me back to the game thing, the gaming would increase your visual perception rate (REM) Rapid Eye Movement, also know as Random eye movement when applied to sleep. Basically this is a case of u glance at things but u manage to record/get far more information from a glance than most people and hence you are more perceptually aware than others.
  
  I would also postulate that playing games would also mean that the later life deteriation of focusing speed will also be delayed by playing games as it keeps the muscles around eyes in shape.
  
  Interestingly, u will also find that people who type / play games / play the piano or play the guitar will on general have far faster reflexes that people who don’t; this is as reflexes and timing are basically the same thing/very closely linked.
  
  Finally, if ur board enough !! Get someone else 2 help u, take a 30cm ruler and get someone to hold it dangling down by the top. When they let go grasp the ruler.
  
  Rule is there must be at least two inch gap round the ruler, so don’t hold ur hand right round it, 2 inches is about right to get a fair reading.
  
  Obviously the further it travels the slower the reaction; u can then record ur distance against other peoples.
  
  Try it with friends and family, u might be shocked...

  10.2.2007 07:33 #15

• borhan9

  It day's only a few hours a day and it improved. Ok but after a few hours it is still detrimental to a persons health/

  10.2.2007 10:24 #16