Effects of video game practice on visual and visuocognitive functions

Clin Exp Optom. 2026 May 12:1-16. doi: 10.1080/08164622.2026.2669524. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Video game-based visual stimulation may influence visual attention, oculomotor control, and perceptual processing, which are clinically relevant functions in optometric assessment and vision rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this review is to quantitatively evaluate the effects of video-game practice on visual function, both in comparative (video-game players vs. non-players) and pre-post intervention designs, and to explore potential moderators such as age, type of game, and study design.

METHODS: Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, SciELO, and Google Scholar (January 2000-June 2025). Eligible studies included cross-sectional, quasi-experimental, and randomised/controlled pre-post designs reporting quantitative visual outcomes. Standardised mean differences (Hedges g) were calculated. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, Joanna Briggs Institute checklist, and Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool.

RESULTS: Thirty-two studies met inclusion criteria (cross-sectional and intervention designs). Action video-game players outperformed non-players across visual attention, oculomotor control, and perceptual domains. Pooled effects were large for cross-sectional comparisons (g = 1.28, 95% CI 0.74-1.82, I2 = 49%) and for pre-post training (g = 1.02, 95% CI 0.61-1.43, I2 = 54%). Significant improvements were observed in dynamic visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and accommodative-vergence facility. Subgroup analyses revealed greater effects for fast-paced and first-person shooter games than for exergames or virtual-reality interventions. Funnel plot symmetry, non-significant Egger's tests (p > 0.25), and large fail-safe N values confirmed the robustness of findings. Methodological quality was high or moderate in 96% of studies, with low risk of systematic bias.

CONCLUSIONS: Video-game practice is associated with consistent and large improvements in visual, attentional, and oculomotor performance, supporting experience-dependent visual plasticity. These findings reinforce the translational potential of gaming-based paradigms and may contribute to the development of clinically applicable tools for visual rehabilitation.

PMID:42119531 | DOI:10.1080/08164622.2026.2669524