Shoot 'em up video games are good for your eyesight

Recent article on NewScientist.com

Doctors may start prescribing a dose of violent conflict, if a trial confirms evidence that computer gaming improves eyesight.

Six years ago Daphne Bavelier at the University of Rochester, New York, exploded the myth that gaming is bad for your eyes by showing that expert gamers outperform non-gamers at a variety of visual tasks. Now she has demonstrated that playing action-packed video games improves a person's ability to perceive contrast, a skill we rely on in dark conditions.

The finding raises the prospect that people with amblyopia, which affects contrast perception, could be treated with games. A trial has begun to test that theory.

It goes on to say.

The study is the first indication that contrast sensitivity can be altered without corrective lenses or surgery, says Bavelier. Her work has inspired Dennis Levi and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, to begin a trial to see whether gaming can help people with amblyopia.

Bavelier's results show gaming's potential for clinical treatment, says Lotfi Merabet, a neuroscientist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, who uses games for visual rehabilitation. He predicts gaming will become increasingly common as a clinical tool.

New Scientist

I play a lot of video games, particularly FPSs (First Person Shooters) but am currently taking a break because I find them distracting and mildly addictive and right now I have a lot that I can't afford to neglect.
The flipside is that they can alleviate stress and anxiety, get the heart racing and exercise the brain.

It's nice to see a new marker being put in the 'beneficial' column, though.

[edit on 29-3-2009 by Welfhard]

Nice thread.

I am also a long term gamer, and I am always pleased when I see evidence that they are not all bad. It helps me rationalize playing them.

Gaming is also been shown to have a positive effect on people with Alzheimer's.

discovermagazine.com...

And surgeons.

www.msnbc.msn.com...

Although I cant remember where I saw it, (I must need more game time!) I have also seen data that shows gaming improves the performance of air traffic controllers and those people who do x-ray baggage searches.

Vive la games!

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


We ought to compile this stuff yeh.