Canadian research showed that after 10 hours of gaming over a month, vision in young players had improved: they could read two extra lines on an eye chart. According to new research, playing games such as Electronic Arts’ Medal of Honor, can actually help to improve your vision. The study, led by Daphne Maurer of McMaster University in Canada, took six patients with lifelong cataract disorders and got them to play Medal of Honor, for a total of 40 hours over the course of one month. Games like this require the player to respond quickly to events happening all around the screen, and to track objects moving in different directions. Patients were told to play the game five days a week for a maximum of two hours per day. Maurer said the reason for setting a time limit was because she was worried the patients might otherwise become addicted to the game. Researchers found that following the 40 hours of game playing, the vision of five of the six patients showed signs of improvement. They were able to recognize faces more easily, as well as make out small print, and judge the direction of moving dots. Gamers who play action games, have a faster reaction time than non-gamers. This is beneficial for driving. Scientists from the University of Rochester, have proven that playing action games, helps you make the correct decisions, faster than non-gamers of the same intellect as you. They also proved that video game players are more aware of their surroundings. Video games encourage perseverance, whether it's getting to the next level or beating a high score. That tenacity is something we can use in the real world. By setting specific tasks and allowing young people to work through obstacles to achieve those tasks, video games can help boost self-esteem and help children learn the value of persistence. By providing immediate feedback, as video game players solve problems and achieve greater expertise, players can learn to see themselves as having skills and intelligence they might not otherwise realize they possess. SPARX, a role-playing video game developed in New Zealand has been shown to help combat depression. A larger trial involving more than 600 participants with mild or moderate depression, assessed the value of video games in the treatment of depression. One group played Project: EVO. A second group used an app called iPST, which uses problem-solving therapy to reduce symptoms of depression. A placebo control group used an app called Health Tips, which offered users healthy suggestions. All three groups experienced similar improvements in mild depression symptoms, suggesting any purported treatment might help reduce mild symptoms of depression. However, participants who were more than mildly depressed, saw greater improvements with iPST and Project: EVO than with the placebo app. The results are preliminary and researchers do not yet know if the improvements will persist over time. They suggest the potential for an app or video game to treat depression. This could reduce the cost and time commitment, associated with traditional depression treatment options. <ref>"Two Studies Explore How Video Games Can Treat Depression." GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog. N. p., 2017. Web. 13 Dec. 2017.
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