All Gamerz

Computer games could help to improve eyesight

After years of being told that video games are bad for your health and especially your eyes, a new study has proved that in fact playing some games may actually help improve your vision, and could even prevent you from needing glasses in the future. The study, conducted by the University of Rochester, demonstrates that regularly playing certain games can improve a person’s contrast sensitivity function, or their ability to be able to distinguish between different shades of grey. But can that really mean your eyesight has improved?

Shades of grey might not sound particularly ground-breaking, but contrast sensitivity is one of the most easily damaged functions of the eye. People who suffer from low contrast sensitivity find it harder to see at night or to pick out small details like spots on clothing, and often the only way to treat the problem is with increasing strength prescription glasses or eye surgery. It’s now believed that computer games could be used methodically to train the eyes to develop these skills, and that the same method could even be used to treat people who suffer from Amblyopia or ‘lazy eye’, which affects the brain’s ability to correctly register signals from one eye.

But it’s not all video games that could have this effect. The study compared two different types of games by testing young adults who did not normally play games both before and after a period of playing them regularly. The results suggested that subjects who played first-person shooter or action games such as Call of Duty showed a 43 per cent improvement on average, whereas those who played non-action games like The Sims 2 showed hardly any.

So if gaming could help us avoid eye problems should we all be rushing out to buy an XBOX with as many action games as we can find to ensure that our designer sunglasses will remain our only visual aids far into our future? Well, no. For a start the study makes a point that not all action games will work, in other words, most of them probably won’t. Not to mention the fact that although these games may help develop some areas of your sight, it’s still not a great idea to be sitting in front of a screen for long periods of time, or to allow gaming to replace other activities necessary to staying fit and healthy. In theory it’s certainly a nice idea, but it’s important not to forget that it’s just as possible that video games could well be harmful in other ways.

Walk through Dead Island part 1 Playing as Sam B.

Photographic Prints of Inuit boy playing a computer game at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq from ArcticPhoto £11.99 10x8 Print, Inuit boy playing a computer game at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq. Inuit boy playing a computer game at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland, . Chosen by ArcticPhoto. Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition. Size refers to paper used. This item is...

Photographic Prints of Inuit boy playing a computer game at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq from ArcticPhoto £11.99 10x8 Print, Inuit boy playing a computer game at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq. Inuit boy playing a computer game at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland, . Chosen by ArcticPhoto. Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition. Size refers to paper used. This item is...

Photographic Prints of Young Inuit playing computer games at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq from ArcticPhoto £11.99 10x8 Print, Young Inuit playing computer games at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq. Young Inuit playing computer games at the Youth Club in Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland, . Chosen by ArcticPhoto. Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition. Size refers to paper used. This item ...

Digimon World (PS) £29.99 And so the latest Pocket Monsters-style game falls off the production line, with Infogrames' Digimon World giving PlayStation owners the chance to play with little critters of their own. Sucked into the Digimon world, the player is given the usual task of saving everyone's hide. So off you travel, with your Digimon in tow, as you train it, feed it, encourage it, scold it and generally build it up ...

Pippa Funnell: Take the Reins (PC CD) £2.99 Exclusive Pippa Funnell interviewWe caught up with Pippa Funnell to chew the cud. She was lovely. These are the words…So how are the horses today, Pippa?All the horses are very well and seem pleased to have started competing again. The season started at the beginning of March and will run through to October. Today the young horses had a day off and went out in the field as they competed yeste...

The Times Bridge (PC CD) £5.94 ...

Ultimate Solitaire 1000 (PC) £3.99 ...

Playing To Win: Inside the Video Game Industry [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] £7.36 ...

Polar CS200CAD Cycling Computer with Cadence and Heart Rate (90025650) - SimplyRun £117.76 For goal-oriented cyclists. Combining body feedback and cycling data to enhance your cycling experience and help you achieve your cycling goal. With the CS200 you can track your cycling workload and aim higher using the PolarCyclingCoach.com online tool.The POLAR CS200cad comes with a wireless POLAR CS cadence sensorTM to help you optimize your pedaling rate.Key features: * Wireless POLAR CS speed...

Polar CS100B Heart Rate Monitor - Dark Grey £54.68 For fun or for victory. A cycling computer providing complete cycling data. For recreational riders and for those who want an affordable solution for their cycling training.The CS100b comes without a heart rate transmitter, in case you already have another POLAR product or if you just want a cycling computer without heart rate monitoring.The CS100b features the CS speed sensor, and with that comes...