Video games can improve eyesight

Shoot 'em ups good for vision

30 March 2009 9:12 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

If you believe the plethora of reports written on the topic, playing video games can do many things, good and bad, but the latest claim is that it can help your eyesight.

A study from the University of Rochester in New York shows that video gaming can improve a player's "contrast sensitivity", something useful in poor visibility such as driving at night.

Researchers believe that playing the games "improved the ability to notice even very small changes in shades of grey against a uniform background", surprising considering this area of vision is not one that's thought to be able to be improved.

The researchers found those that played shooting, or violent, games showed better contrast sensitivity than those that played "non-action" video games.

In addition, it's thought such gaming might be able to help those with "amblyopia", also known as lazy eye, where people with the condition lack stereo vision.