Mikailionyte, Agne, Pierscionek, Barbara, Mackenzie, Francesca E and Augousti, Andy (2021) The effect of video-game visual training on visual function in adults with self–reported reading difficulties. In: Applied Vision Association Virtual Spring Meeting (2021); 29 Mar 2021, Held Online. (Unpublished)

Abstract

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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