Japanese Scientists Created a VR Game That May Improve Your Eyesight

For decades, we’ve been warned that too much screen time can harm our vision. But a team of Japanese researchers is now turning that idea on its head using virtual reality not to weaken eyesight, but potentially to improve it.

A group of scientists from Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan has developed a VR-based game designed to help ease symptoms of myopia, also known as nearsightedness. While still in early stages, initial results are promising: all participants in their pilot study reportedly experienced noticeable improvement in their eyesight after playing the game over several weeks.

A VR Game That Can Improve Your Eyesight

The research, published in early 2025 by the university’s Department of Science and Technology Studies, focused on young adults suffering from digital eye strain and mild myopia. Participants who regularly used screens for work took part in a six-week study, during which they used the VR game to perform specially designed visual tasks.

The game includes exercises that simulate proven vision therapy techniques, such as:

• Perspective shifting (training the eyes to adjust to different distances),
• Gazing tasks (to build focus and reduce strain), and
• Stereopsis activities (to help with depth perception and eye coordination).

Rather than straining the eyes, the game is designed to gently guide eye muscles through controlled movement, encouraging natural relaxation and better focus. Tasks in the game challenge players to shift focus, track moving objects, and engage both eyes in depth-related activities and exercises that mirror traditional eye therapy methods used by vision specialists.

The test group included ten participants, aged between 22 and 36, all with mild vision issues (rated around 0.5 in both eyes). By the end of the trial period, every participant showed some level of improvement in their vision.

According to the researchers, vision problems are often linked to eye fatigue and poor lifestyle habits like screen overuse and lack of nutrition. However, they believe that with regular and structured eye exercises, much of this damage can be reversed, and the game they created could be a fun, engaging way to do that.

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While more research is still needed, this development could open doors to a new era of digital health tools, where gaming technology is used not just for entertainment, but also for improving well-being.

Written By: Ashish Jha, India Today Gaming