Daily DS Play Saves Boy’s Eyesight

Diagnosed early in his life with Amblyopia – what essentially equates to a severe case of lazy eye – six-year-old Ben Michaels has faced the prospect of permanent vision loss for years. That fear has been greatly reduced, however, thanks to a daily prescription of Mario Kart DS. 

After being instructed to wear an eye patch and play the Nintendo DS for two hours a day, Michaels’ vision has greatly improved, nearly returning to the strength of his unaffected eye. His mother noticed the improvement within the first week, noting that he went from being unable to identify faces to now reading text without problem.

According to Dr. Nischal of the Great Orman Street Children’s Hospital, the therapy works wonders because video games facilitate repetitive eye movement, which in turn helps the eye strengthen and learn to focus properly.

“A games console is something children can relate to” weighed in Nischal, speaking to Mail Online . “It also allows us to deliver treatment quicker.”

While many gamers find playing video games therapeutic on some level, it’s interesting to see measurable benefits of engaging in digital play emerge. We can't imagine anyone having a hard time swallowing this prescription.