Playing Tetris Could Help Adults and Children with Lazy Eye

Doctors from Canada claim that there is an alternative to the treatment of lazy eye. A team of physicians from McGill University says that playing Tetris – the popular video game video game that involves falling building blocks is a good way to facilitate both eyes working together. Tetris is a puzzle game that involves matching of tiles. The team of doctors that conducted the study says that computer games other than Tetris could result in the same benefits.

The recommendation emerged from the findings of a recent study that is published in the journal, Current Biology which involved 18 adult subjects. The study results showed that playing Tetris is better than the traditional method of eye patching. The proponents claim that they may have found a more effective way to improve the vision of a person lazy eye. And Tetris is definitely more enjoyable, they added.

Amblyopia

The researchers are now determined to find out whether or not  children with lazy eyes would benefit as well. Amblyopia or lazy eye has a known incidence with one in 50 children suffering from the condition. In amblyopia one eye does not develop as it should. The child or adult has a squint. If there is no treatment the weaker eye is at risk of losing its function, resulting to loss of vision.

The treatment of lazy eye is to make the two eyes work together. When this happens, vision improves and the persons with the disorder can perform better in daily life.

Eye patching

The traditional treatment for lazy eye is eye patching. The weaker eye is covered for a certain number of hours each day. This is done so that the weaker eye is forced to work harder. Doctors typically prescribe early treatment so that loss of vision is avoided. Eye patching usually takes many months. Most people consider the treatment rather unpleasant and frustrating.

A different approach

A team of doctors in Montreal headed by Dr. Robert Hess chose to investigate alterative treatment procedures for the treatment of amblyopia. The team conducted an experiment with the use of a pair of video goggles. The aim of the study is to foster cooperation between the two eyes. Nine volunteers were asked to wear the goggles as they play Tetris.

The study

The nine study subjects wore the goggles one hour every day for a total of two weeks. The special kind of goggles allowed one eye to see only the blocks on the ground that accumulate as they fall while the other eye sees only the falling objects. A second group of nine volunteers wore goggles that cover the good eye. This group watched the game only through the “lazy” eye. After two weeks the first group showed more improvement. In the second part of the experiment, the people in the second group were made to use the pair of goggles with both eyes uncovered. Upon examination, their vision improved.

The Montreal team recommends that the method be used as an alternative to patching since the adults in the study did not benefit from it. They are now set on finding out whether children will manifest with the same benefits.