Ubisoft, in partnership with the digital therapy company Amblyotech, is one step closer to releasing a pair of games that can help treat adults and children afflicted with amblyopia, commonly known as ‘lazy eye’.
Amblyotech filed the necessary documentation to the US Food and Drug Administration that, if approved, will eventually lead the release of two Ubisoft-developed games created to improve the vision of people with amblyopia.
It isn’t often you hear about a video game requiring FDA approval before release, but both the upcoming games and the technology behind them is a powerful example of what video games can accomplish beyond the world of entertainment.
According to Amblyotech, amblyopia occurs when vision is significantly decreased in only one eye and affects up to 3 percent of children across the world. Typically, the disorder is treated by wearing an eyepatch over the more powerful eye but social stigma, longer treatment time, and high rate of relapse often make this practice less than ideal.
Amblyotech’s Amblyopad device, which contains Ubisoft’s games Dig Rush and Monster Burner, is seeking FDA approval to become an alternative treatment method for amblyopia. Both games are imbued with binocular technology that, in clinical testing, helped improve visual acuity in those with amblyopia.
“The development of Dig Rush and Monster Burner was a great opportunity for us to contribute our knowledge and skills in video game development to help materialize a breakthrough medical treatment,” said Ubisoft senior producer in a provided statement. “The team from Ubisoft Montreal has been able to create a more engaging and enjoyable experience for patients being treated for amblyopia, and we’re proud to be involved in such a positive illustration of the impact of video game technology,”