Gamified virtual reality training and ocular vergence: evidence from a randomized controlled study with rehabilitation perspectives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v77.117780Keywords:
Gamification, ocular vergence, randomized controlled trial, rehabilitation, virtual realityAbstract
Background: Alterations in ocular vergence are linked to balance and visual coordination; few studies have examined the role of gamified virtual reality (VR) in modulating these functions in healthy adults.
Objective: To assess the effects of a VR-based game on ocular vergence through a randomized controlled trial and explore its potential for rehabilitation.
Methods: 32 university students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (24 sessions of VR training) or a control group. Near Point of Convergence (NPC) and Near Point of Break (NPB) were measured at baseline, after one session, and after 12 weeks. Finally, 27 participants completed the protocol and were included in the final analysis
Results: Participants in the program saw noticeable improvements quickly, with their NPC distance decreasing by about 1.01 cm early on (p=0.001). At the same time, their NPB distance also improved, decreasing by around 1.29 cm (p=0.002). After 12 weeks, these changes became even more noticeable, with NPC decreasing by 1.92 cm (p=0.014) and NPB dropping by about 1.86 cm (p=0.040). The study also found strong links between NPC and NPB measurements, with correlation coefficients over 0.6. Interestingly, it showed differences in how men and women responded to the program.
Conclusions: Playing engaging VR training games can help improve eye coordination in the short and medium term. This promising early evidence suggests that they could be useful additions to rehabilitation or performance routines. Bigger studies are needed to back up these findings and to understand what factors might influence how well they work.
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