Canadian University Study Finds Violent Video Games Are Good For Eyesight

In a story that is starkly different than most articles on the subject of violent video games, a new university-led study has found that playing shooters may actually be good for your health. Well, at least specifically for your eyesight. The research found that the concentration and skills required in games like Call of Duty or Medal of Honor actually helped adults hone and in some cases even strengthen their vision.

The research comes to us from McMaster University in Canada. Daphne Maurer headed the project and took a sampling of people who had lifelong disorders in their eyes. They spent a total of 40 hours playing the EA game Medal of Honor throughout the course of a month. The sessions involved a couple of hours per day, five days a week. 83% of those involved in the study saw an increase in their eyesight, though none reached a perfect 20/20. Still, "I think it tells us that the visual nervous system is still plastic enough to either form or reveal connections in adulthood... and we suspect that might be true for any kind of visual defect," said Maurer.

So hopefully the next time some misguided politician tries to ban violent video games – a measure that, by the way, has been ruled unconstitutional in every single state that has ever passed this kind of legislation yet more states continue to bring up the idea as though it's brand new- someone can take that politician into a room and have him or her play Medal of Honor for a few hours. Maybe after their vision is cleared up, they won't want to fight against progress anymore. But then again, we're talking about politicians here.

[via AFP]