The effect of video-game visual training on visual function in adults with self–reported reading difficulties
2021
Reading difficulties (RD) affect more than 6.3 million people in the United Kingdom. Previous studies
have shown that 20 hours of visual training by video-gaming improves visual function in dyslexic
children (Franceschini et al, 2017 Sci Rep 7:5863), more so than a year of reading therapy. It is not
known whether adults may display the same improvements. We assessed the effects of video-game
training on visual function in adults (age 18+ years) with self-reported RD (SSRD) and without (non-SSRD), using psychophysical tests. Non-SRRD adults with previous video-gaming experience
(‘gamers’, n=17) had generally higher contrast sensitivity (CS) compared to non-gamers (n=9). 120-
hour (n=4) or 40-hour (n=11) video-game training of non-gaming, non-SRRD participants using either
‘action’ or ‘casual’ games improved CS, which remained stable over at least 4 weeks (n=5). Finally, CS
improved in adults with self-reported RD (SRRD) after either 40 (n=4) and even only 20 (n=6) hours
of video-game training. In conclusion, visual training using video-gaming improved visual function in
adults with self-reported RD, which we hypothesise may be due to improved visual attention. Video
game play may serve as an accessible and inexpensive therapeutic tool in alleviating self–reported
RD in adults. Future research is required to assess whether visual training can improve daily reading
ability in adults with RD.
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