The game of Tetris has sold more than 170 million copies across the world and has been given so many difficult levels that to date there are only about 6 players who have attained Grand Master status. The game celebrated its 30th year in 2014 since being created in 1984 and has been the subject of a number of research and medical studies over the years. It has been found to have some effects on the way that people perceive things and hours of play has also been attributed to assisting with certain eye conditions.

If you are a lover of the game and have found yourself addicted to the simple but profound test of your organizational skills, here are two ways that Tetris can be both a help and a hindrance.

Blurred lines between virtual and reality

While it has long been suggested that staring at a bright screen for prolonged periods can affect the physical components of the eyes and have even been linked to the development of glaucoma, Tetris also presents another unique problem. After playing the game, many people have reported to have suffered from some form of visual hallucinations. The phenomena has been suggested to occur where patrons of the game can see falling blocks in everyday life and can even see themselves arranging these blocks between skyscrapers. 

There are even more severe cases involving car accidents where persons have been too preoccupied with falling blocks to pay attention to the road. This might be because visual stimuli accounts for up to 80 percent of memory, in this case game memory, which then gets transferred to the real world.

Getting the lazy out of the eye

The condition amblyopia affects about 2 to 3 percent of children in the United States. While many children are treated for this during childhood, those that are left untreated can persist into adulthood, making it the most common one-eye visual problem among young and middle-aged adults. However, this may be about to change as it has been found that a version of the Tetris game can be used to encourage eye muscle coordination in adult patients suffering from this problem.

While more definitive studies still need to be carried out, it has been found that when both eyes are used while playing the game, visual improvement was seen within two weeks of observation. This method of therapy gives the eyes training in working together; a feature that would be quite necessary even if you are not trying to get a Grand Master rank. To learn more, speak with a business like Webster Eye Care.