Text Size

An Active Approach to Treat Amblyopia: Perceptual Learning and Video Games

This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified September 2010 by University of California, Berkeley
Sponsor:
Collaborator:
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Information provided by:
University of California, Berkeley
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01115283
First received: May 3, 2010
Last updated: September 27, 2010
Last verified: September 2010
History of Changes
  Purpose

Amblyopia, a developmental abnormality that impairs spatial vision, is a major cause of vision loss, resulting in reduced visual acuity and reduced sensitivity to contrast. This study uses psychophysical measures to study neural plasticity in both adults and children with amblyopia.


Condition Intervention Phase
Amblyopia
 Behavioral: Perceptual learning
Behavioral: Video Games
Behavioral: Occlusion therapy
 Phase 1
Phase 2

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: Improving Spatial and Temporal Vision in Adult and Juvenile Amblyopia

Further study details as provided by University of California, Berkeley:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Amblyopic vision [ Time Frame: 9 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Improvement in amblyopic vision : visual acuity and stereoacuity


Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Spatial vision [ Time Frame: 9 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Improvement in spatial vision (eg. contrast sensitivity, positional acuity and spatial attention)

  • Temporal vision [ Time Frame: 9 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Improvement in temporal processing and temporal vision


Estimated Enrollment: 50
Study Start Date: April 2010
Estimated Study Completion Date: May 2015
Estimated Primary Completion Date: May 2015 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Perceptual learning Behavioral: Perceptual learning
Research participants will be asked to practice a visual discrimination task (e.g. position acuity, contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity etc) in our laboratory for a period of time (2 hrs/day, 5 days/week).
Other Names:
  • vision therapy
  • vision training
Behavioral: Video Games
Research participants will be asked to play "off-the-shelf" video games in our laboratory for a period of time (2 hrs/day, 5 days/week).
Other Names:
  • vision therapy
  • vision training
Behavioral: Occlusion therapy
Research participants will be required to cover the good eye during the day in order to push the brain to use the amblyopic eye (2 hrs/day, 5 days/week for 2-4 weeks).
Other Names:
  • vision training,
  • vision therapy

Detailed Description:

Amblyopia, a developmental abnormality that impairs spatial vision, is a major cause of vision loss, resulting in reduced visual acuity and reduced sensitivity to contrast. Our previous findings (see CITATIONS) show that the adult amblyopic brain is still plastic and malleable, suggesting that active approach is potential useful in treating amblyopia. The goal of this project is to assess the limits and mechanisms of neural plasticity in both normal and amblyopic spatial vision. This study uses psychophysical measures to study neural plasticity in both adults and children with amblyopia. Research participants will be asked to practice a visual discrimination task (perceptual learning) or to play video games with the amblyopic eye for a period of time. A range of visual functions will be monitored during the course of treatment.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   5 Years to 75 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • adults and children (>5 years old) with normal vision or amblyopia
  • amblyopia: interocular VA difference of at least 0.1 logMAR

Exclusion Criteria:

  • any ocular pathological conditions, nystagmus
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01115283

Contacts
Contact: Roger W Li, OD, PhD oroger@berkeley.edu

Locations
United States, California
Minor Hall 486, School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley Recruiting
Berkeley, California, United States, 94720
Contact: Roger W Li, OD,PhD     510-643-8685     oroger@berkeley.edu    
Principal Investigator: Roger W Li, OD, PhD            
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of California, Berkeley
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Roger W Li, OD, PhD School of Optometry, Univeristy of california-Berkeley
Principal Investigator: Dennis M Levi, OD, PhD School of Optometry, Univerisity of California-Berkeley
  More Information

Publications:

Responsible Party: Roger W. Li/Associate Specialist, University of California, Berkeley
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01115283     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: R01EY01728, R01EY001728
Study First Received: May 3, 2010
Last Updated: September 27, 2010
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board

Keywords provided by University of California, Berkeley:
amblyopia treatment
neural plasticity
perceptual learning
vision therapy
 spatial vision
video games
occlusion therapy

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Amblyopia
Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Vision Disorders
 Sensation Disorders
Neurologic Manifestations
Eye Diseases
Signs and Symptoms

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on June 18, 2013