Regularly Playing First-person Shooter Video Games Improves Dynamic Visual Acuity

Abstract

SIGNIFICANCE 

This study investigated the dynamic visual acuity (DVA) in young adults who play action video games regularly compared with nonaction video game players and those without regular experience in video game play. The results indicate better performance in some measurements of DVA in action video game players.

PURPOSE 

This study aimed to provide new insights into performance on DVA assessments in young adults who play action video games regularly.

METHODS 

A cross-sectional study was conducted between action video game and nonaction video game players with 47 participants ranging in age from 20 to 30 years. Dynamic visual acuity with two different angular velocities, 57 and 28.5°/s, and three different contrasts, 100, 50, and 10%, were evaluated. A second analysis with 33 participants compared DVA between action video game players and nonexperienced video game players or those spending less than 1 h/wk in gaming.

RESULTS 

Dynamic visual acuity in the first analysis revealed a nonstatistical significance between groups in all the experimental conditions with 57 and 28.5°/s in three different contrasts. The second analysis with 33 participants revealed a statistical significance in DVA at 57 and 28.5°/s with contrast at 100% (P = .003 and P < .001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS 

Dynamic visual acuity seems to have better performance in young adults spending more than 5 h/wk with action video games, mostly first-person shooter games.