Japanese Scientists Develop VR Game to Boost Vision Skills

A team of Japanese researchers from Kwansei Gakuin University has developed a VR game aimed at enhancing visual acuity.

The game is created using Unity for the Meta Quest 2 headset. Players are required to aim and shoot at targets positioned at various distances, which forces their eyes to constantly adjust focus.

In the game, there are three tracks, each featuring a round target mounted on a stand. By pressing the trigger button on the controller, a virtual laser is activated. Directing this laser at a track highlights both the track and the target, switching the player into an «aiming» mode. To successfully hit the target, players must maneuver the controller stick towards the direction indicated by a small Landolt C (a black ring with a gap used in vision tests in Japan) at the center of the target.

This game has proven beneficial for exercising eye muscles, as players alternately shift their gaze among targets at different distances and focus on the Landolt C to identify where the gap is located. At the end of each session, users are presented with a results screen showing their hit count, misses, combos, and whether they achieved new personal bests.

As part of the experiment, ten participants engaged in daily gameplay for six weeks, and all experienced improvements in visual parameters compared to their eyesight before the study commenced.

The game has been particularly helpful for individuals with myopia. It appears to function as an eye-training tool, requiring no medication or surgery. With regular play, it may yield effects similar to visual exercises, but in the format of a VR shooting game.

Currently, the researchers are refraining from making bold claims about their study’s findings due to the small sample size. They intend to conduct more extensive tests to verify the durability and accuracy of the results.

The project team believes that such innovations could serve as effective applications of VR technology, not only in entertainment but also in personal healthcare, ranging from prevention to actual vision correction.