Mobile app created by neuroscientist improves eyesight by sharpening vision

UltimEyes is a new vision-improvement app created by a University of California neuroscientist. It claims to be able to improve users' eyesight by sharpening their vision and boosting their ability to see in dim light.

The way it works is the app asks users to complete tasks like clicking on difficult-to-see targets over and over again. Doing this helps rewire the brain to better process the information it gets from the eyes, referred to as “neuroplasticity.”

Positive reinforcement is given via a point system and meant to keep the user engaged.

“What I've been able to do is take my research that started looking at very simple, basic science problems and turn it into a game that anybody can play that has real-world impacts,” said Aaron Seitz, an associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.

To assess the app’s effectiveness, Seitz tested it out on 19 UCR baseball players. Each one used UltimEyes 30 times for 25-minute intervals. The result was an average increase of 31% in eyesight. In fact, out of the group, seven achieved 20/7.5 vision, which means they could see at 20 feet what someone with normal vision could see at 7.5 feet.

Full results of his study were published in the journal Current Biology .

For what it’s worth, the percentage of strikeouts from the players who competed in both the 2012 and 2013 seasons decreased by 4.4%, as compared to other players in the Conference whose rate went down a bit under 1%. Players reported being able to see the ball better, improved peripheral vision, and their eyes didn’t tire out as easily over the course of the game.

“We're encouraged and excited by the broad range of lifestyle benefits that many individuals who rely on vision, including athletes, but also those with normal vision and low vision going about their routine tasks,” Adam Goldberg, CEO of Carrot Technology, which helped Seitz develop the technology, said in a statement.

UltimEyes is available on iOS only right now, and can be purchased for $5.99 via the iTunes store.

Story via: mashable.com

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