James Delahunty
7 Feb 2007 7:17
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