ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The increasing demand for remote medical care, driven by digital healthcare advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitates effective solutions tailored to patients and healthcare practitioners. Co-design, involving collaboration between software developers, patients, and healthcare practitioners, prioritizes end-user needs. Research indicates that integrating patient perspectives enhances user experience and usability. However, its application in healthcare has been limited to small projects. This work focuses on co-designing a technological solution to enhance the monitoring and visual rehabilitation of individuals with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a condition that significantly impacts the quality of life in people over 60. Current vision rehabilitation systems lack personalization, motivation, and effective progress monitoring. Involving patients and healthcare practitioners in the design process aims to ensure the final product meets their needs. METHODS: The project employs iterative and collaborative principles, involving a vision rehabilitation expert and two AMD patients as active users in the application's development and validation. The process begins by establishing requirements for user accounts and rehabilitation exercises. It continues with an initial approach extended through user validation. Co-design is facilitated by specific workshops marking each project iteration, totaling four workshops, along with continuous communication sessions between experts and developers to validate design decisions. Initial requirements gathering and constant feedback from end-users, the visual rehabilitator, and patients are crucial for refining the product effectively. RESULTS: The workshops produced a prototype featuring a test to monitor changes and progression and 15 visual rehabilitation exercises. Numerous patient and vision rehabilitation-driven software modifications led to a final design that is responsive and adaptive to end-user needs. CONCLUSIONS: The Rehab-AMD pilot project aims to develop a collaborative and adaptive software solution for AMD rehabilitation by actively involving stakeholders and applying iterative design principles. Co-design in the Rehab-AMD solution proves to be a methodology that identifies usability issues and needs from the initial design stages. This approach ensures that software developers create a final product that is genuinely useful and manageable for people with AMD and the targeted vision rehabilitators.
Subject(s)
Macular Degeneration , Humans , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Software Design , Telerehabilitation , COVID-19ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Although nutritional support is beneficial to the visual rehabilitation of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a large gap continues to exist between the relevant guidelines and the actual practices of AMD patients; this gap can be attributed to a lack of nutritional literacy. Therefore, this study explored the factors affecting nutritional literacy among AMD patients. DESIGN: A qualitative study was carried out based on individual in-person interviews with 15 AMD patients; a semistructured interview guide was used for data collection. The socioecological model (SEM) was employed for data analysis. SETTING: The Southwest Hospital in Chongqing Province, China. PARTICIPANTS: A purposive sample of 15 AMD patients was recruited between May and June 2023. RESULTS: The social ecosystem of patients with AMD has not been positive. At the intrapersonal level, the factors affecting the nutritional literacy of such patients are lack of knowledge, nutrition self-efficacy, economic burdens, dietary preferences and health status. At the interpersonal level, the factors that can influence patients' nutritional literacy are social support and social roles. At the institutional level, the relevant factors are doctor-patient trust and interdisciplinary-team consistency. Finally, at the policy level, a powerful factor is the large gap between policy and implementation. DISCUSSION: Nutritional literacy focuses on the changes in an individual's knowledge and behaviour concerning nutrition. To inform the development of nutritional-literacy interventions for people with AMD, medical staff should consider multiple perspectives that can remove the barriers to the SEM at all levels.
Subject(s)
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Literacy , Macular Degeneration , Qualitative Research , Humans , China , Female , Male , Aged , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Macular Degeneration/psychology , Middle Aged , Social Support , Aged, 80 and over , Interviews as Topic , Nutritional Status , Self EfficacyABSTRACT
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an eccentric viewing training program that combines biofeedback training using micro-perimetry with home exercises on multiple visual function parameters and to explore potential relationships between post-treatment visual function parameters. A retrospective observational review of 27 participants who underwent the training program was performed. Eligible participants were diagnosed with bilateral central scotomas secondary to age-related macular degeneration. All participants undertook up to 15 visual and acoustic biofeedback training sessions and were required to partake in traditional home exercises between sessions. The biofeedback training was conducted in the better eye using the Macular Integrity Assessment microperimeter (MAIA). Distance and near acuity, contrast sensitivity and fixation stability quantified by the P1 and P2 values and the 63% and 95% bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA) before and after the rehabilitation program were recorded. Significant improvement was noted post-training for distance visual acuity (t(26) = 4938 p = .000), near visual acuity (Z = -4.461 p = .000), contrast sensitivity (Z = -3.647 p = .000) and fixation stability for all measures, including P1 (t(26) = -9.490 p = .000), P2 (t(26) = -7.338 p = 0.000), 63% BCEA (Z = 3.569 p = .000) and 95% BCEA (t(26) = 4.687 p = .000). Significant medium-to-large correlations were also found between most visual function variables. Visual and acoustic biofeedback in conjunction with home exercises has the potential to improve visual function parameters in patients with age-related macular degeneration and irreversible central vision loss.
Subject(s)
Macular Degeneration , Vision, Low , Humans , Acoustics , Biofeedback, Psychology , Fixation, Ocular , Macular Degeneration/complications , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Retrospective Studies , Visual Field TestsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: People with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) experience high rates of depression, but rarely engage in or have access to tailored mental wellbeing programmes. This qualitative study investigated the perspectives of those primarily with late AMD on mental health and mental wellbeing programmes. METHODS: Twenty-eight people with late AMD in at least one eye, and one person with early AMD in both eyes, aged 56-87 years (mean age 78 years) attending a private eye clinic between December 2019 and January 2020 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, participated. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed deductively using content analysis, following the individual level factors for health promotion interventions in the behaviour change wheel: Capability (Physical & Psychological), Opportunity (Physical & Social), and Motivation (Reflective & Automatic). RESULTS: Six major themes were identified: Capability: (1) Impact of vision loss on mobility and leisure pursuits; (2) Adjustment to living with vision loss; Opportunity: (3) Program considerations for those with AMD; (4) Stigma and self-perception of vision loss and mental health; Motivation: (5) Accumulation of vision-related issues as a barrier to participation; (6) Examples of others living with vision loss. General personal factors relevant to delivery of a programme in this age group were also identified: Comorbidities; Limitations using technology; Isolation; Financial concerns and Beliefs that undesired effects of aging are inevitable. CONCLUSIONS: Complex individual, environmental and social factors influence the perspectives of people with late AMD on mental health, and potential participation in mental wellbeing programmes. These factors should be considered when developing and implementing mental wellbeing programmes to improve the emotional and functional rehabilitation outcomes for people with AMD.
Subject(s)
Depression/epidemiology , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Mental Healing/psychology , Mental Health , Program Evaluation/methods , Qualitative Research , Visual Acuity , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Depression/etiology , Depression/rehabilitation , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Macular Degeneration/complications , Macular Degeneration/psychology , Male , Middle Aged , Morbidity/trends , New South Wales/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Self Concept , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive and degenerative disorder of the macula. In advanced stages, it is characterized by the formation of areas of geographic atrophy or fibrous scars in the central macula, which determines irreversible loss of central vision. These patients can benefit from visual rehabilitation programmes with acoustic "biofeedback" mechanisms that can instruct the patient to move fixation from the central degenerated macular area to an adjacent healthy area, with a reorganization of the primary visual cortex. In this prospective, comparative, non-randomized study we evaluated the efficacy of visual rehabilitation with an innovative acoustic biofeedback training system based on visual evoked potentials (VEP) real-time examination (Retimax Vision Trainer, CSO, Florence), in a series of patients with advanced AMD compared to a control group. Patients undergoing training were subjected to ten consecutive visual training sessions of 10 min each, performed twice a week. Patients in the control group did not receive any training. VEP biofeedback rehabilitation seems to improve visual acuity, reading performances, contrast sensitivity, retinal fixation and sensitivity and quality of life in AMD patients.
Subject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology/physiology , Evoked Potentials, Visual/physiology , Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Contrast Sensitivity/physiology , Female , Geographic Atrophy/physiopathology , Humans , Male , Prospective Studies , Quality of Life , Reading , Retina/physiopathology , Vision Disorders/physiopathology , Vision, Low/physiopathology , Visual Acuity/physiologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) biofeedback rehabilitation in selected low vision patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study. METHODS: Patients affected by advanced AMD, central macular atrophy with unstable fixation and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between 20/100 and 20/320 were considered. Selected patients underwent fundus photography and microperimetry with fixation analysis for the selected eye (highest BCVA). Ten consecutive training sessions of 10 min each were performed twice a week in the selected eye with Retimax Vision Trainer (CSO, Florence). BCVA, reading acuity and reading speed, contrast sensitivity, fixation, retinal sensitivity and quality of life questionnaire (VFQ-25) were evaluated at baseline and 7 days following the final session. RESULTS: Significant improvements in terms of BCVA [p = .011], reading speed [p = .007], VFQ-25 score [p = .007], retinal sensitivity [p = .021] and fixation stability in the central 2° and 4° [p = .048; p = .037] post-treatment were observed for the 9 patients enrolled, with insignificant improvements observed in reading acuity and contrast sensitivity [p = .335; p = .291]. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results support VEP biofeedback rehabilitation improvements for visual function and quality of life in advanced AMD patients with low vision.
Subject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology , Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Vision, Low/rehabilitation , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Evoked Potentials, Visual , Female , Humans , Male , Pilot Projects , Quality of Life , Retrospective Studies , Surveys and Questionnaires , Visual AcuityABSTRACT
Retinal dystrophies and age-related macular degeneration related to photoreceptor degeneration can cause blindness. In blind patients, although the electrical activation of the residual retinal circuit can provide useful artificial visual perception, the resolutions of current retinal prostheses have been limited either by large electrodes or small numbers of pixels. Here we report the evaluation, in three awake non-human primates, of a previously reported near-infrared-light-sensitive photovoltaic subretinal prosthesis. We show that multipixel stimulation of the prosthesis within radiation safety limits enabled eye tracking in the animals, that they responded to stimulations directed at the implant with repeated saccades and that the implant-induced responses were present two years after device implantation. Our findings pave the way for the clinical evaluation of the prosthesis in patients affected by dry atrophic age-related macular degeneration.
Subject(s)
Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Saccades , Vision, Ocular/physiology , Visual Perception , Visual Prosthesis , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Eye Movement Measurements , Macaca fascicularis , Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Male , Photic Stimulation , Retinal Ganglion Cells/physiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes reading impairment, reduced quality of life (QoL), and secondary depression. We have shown that support with magnifying aids improved reading speed (RS), emotional and cognitive status, and QoL. The present study investigates whether additional reading training (RT) (after adapting to appropriate visual aids) can further improve vision rehabilitation. METHODS: Patients with dry AMD were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The primary RT group (P-RTG, n = 25) trained with sequentially presented text (RSVP), and the control group (CG, n = 12) performed placebo training (crossword puzzles) and later crossed over to RT, so that altogether 37 participants performed reading training. Patients trained at home on a PC for 6 weeks. RS was assessed during reading printed paragraphs of text aloud. Using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, we examined fixation stability and preferred retinal locus (PRL) for fixating a cross, as well as PRL and eye movements during reading single words. We assessed emotional status by Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), cognitive status by dementia detection test ( DemTect ) and QoL by Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI) profile. Visual acuity and magnification requirement were examined by standard procedures. All variables were measured before and after placebo training, before and after RT, and after 6 weeks without training (follow-up). RESULTS: RS improved significantly in the P-RTG during RT, but not in the CG during placebo training. The effect remained stable at follow-up. Fixation performance and eye movement variables did not change. Emotional status (MADRS) improved in P-RTG during RT and showed a significant difference of the change of scores between the 2 groups. Complete IVI scores improved significantly during RT and remained stable. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that patients with AMD, who already use magnifying aids, benefit from additional RT and that it can contribute in preventing depression and improve QoL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00015609).
Subject(s)
Eye Movements/physiology , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Quality of Life , Reading , Teaching , Vision, Low/rehabilitation , Visual Acuity/physiology , Aged , Female , Fixation, Ocular/physiology , Humans , Macular Degeneration/complications , Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Male , Ophthalmoscopy , Vision, Low/etiology , Vision, Low/physiopathologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Biofeedback training (BT) is a modern method for enhancing the use of preferred retinal loci (PRL) retraining for new retinal loci (TRL), hence improving far and near vision. This article attempts to clarify the optimal methodology for BT and the types of patients who can benefit most from BT. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of cases who received BT with the macular integrity assessment (MAIA) microperimetre. Outcome measures selected for analysis were visual acuity, PRL location, fixation stability, fixation pattern orientation, reading acuity, critical print size, and reading speed. RESULTS: Out of 30 cases who received BT, only those with age-related macular degeneration and visual acuity of logMAR 0.8 (20/126) or poorer showed a visual acuity gain (statistically significant of 12 letters) after BT. Those with other diagnoses and those with residual Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study best-corrected visual acuity of logMAR of 0.7 (20/100) or better showed only positive trends for visual acuity and a negative trend for fixation stability. All subjects showed a shift in PRL location toward the superior quadrant of the retina (p < 0.02) in those who received BT. CONCLUSION: BT seems to offer patients a unique and efficient modality to improve distance vision outside of using optical devices.
Subject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology/methods , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Reading , Visual Acuity , Visual Fields/physiology , Aged , Female , Humans , Macular Degeneration/diagnosis , Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Visual Field TestsABSTRACT
Introducción: la degeneración macular asociada a la edad (DMAE) es una enfermedad degenerativa de la retina, que causa pérdida de la visión central en individuos mayores de 50 años. Es considerada una de las causas más comunes de pérdida de visión en países occidentales y en países desarrollados es la causa más frecuente de baja visión. Objetivo: describir el comportamiento de la rehabilitación visual, mediante la realización de ejercicios de fijación y localización, en estos pacientes. Método: se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo retrospectivo en pacientes con degeneración macular asociada a la edad y diversidad funcional visual atendidos en consulta de baja visión de la provincia Granma durante febrero 2017 hasta enero 2018; la degeneración macular asociada a la edad constituye la segunda causa de diversidad funcional visual o ceguera en la provincia Granma. Resultados: fue más efectivo el rastreo y existió motivación en la totalidad de la muestra y en más de la mitad de los casos la agudeza visual mejor corregida de cerca aumentó, la velocidad de lectura mejoró, desapareció la fatiga, existió una adecuada autoestima y buena inserción social. Conclusiones: todo esto evidencia que dicha rehabilitación mejora la capacidad visual y propicia una mayor calidad de vida(AU)
Introduction: age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative disease of the retina, which causes loss of central vision in individuals older than 50 years. It is considered one of the most common causes of vision loss in Western countries and in developed countries it is the most frequent cause of low vision. Objective: to describe the behavior of visual rehabilitation, by performing fixation and localization exercises, in these patients. Method: a retrospective descriptive observational study was conducted in patients with age-related macular degeneration and visual functional diversity treated in low vision consultation of Granma province during February 2017 to January 2018; Macular degeneration associated with age is the second cause of visual functional diversity or blindness in the Granma province. Results: the tracking was more effective and there was motivation in the whole sample and in more than half of the cases the best corrected visual acuity increased, the reading speed improved, the fatigue disappeared, there was an adequate self-esteem and good Social insertion. Conclusions: all this shows that said rehabilitation improves visual capacity and promotes a higher quality of life(EU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Macular Degeneration/diagnosis , Exercise Therapy , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Epidemiology, Descriptive , Retrospective Studies , Observational Studies as TopicABSTRACT
People with central field loss (CFL) use peripheral vision to identify words. Eccentric vision provides ambiguous visual inputs to the processes leading to lexical access. Our purpose was to explore the hypothesis that this ambiguity leads to strong influences of inferential processes, our prediction being that increasing word frequency would decrease word reading time. Individuals with bilateral CFL induced by macular diseases read French sentences displayed with a self-paced reading method. Reading time of the last word of each sentence (target word) was recorded. Each target word (in sentence n) was matched with a synonym word (in sentence n+1) of the same length. When using absolute frequency value (Analysis 1), we found that reading time of target words decreased when word frequency increases, even when controlling for word length. The amplitude of this effect is larger than reported in previous investigations of reading with normal subjects. When comparing the effect of relative frequency (low vs. high) within each pair of synonyms (Analysis 2), results show the same pattern as the one observed in Analysis 1. Our results demonstrate clear-cut frequency effects on word reading time and suggest that inferential processes are stronger in CFL readers than in normally sighted observers. These results might also help design text simplification tools tailored for low-vision patients.
Subject(s)
Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Reading , Scotoma/physiopathology , Vision, Low/physiopathology , Visual Fields/physiology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Previous behavioural studies demonstrate that face caricaturing can provide an effective image enhancement method for improving poor face identity perception in low vision simulations (e.g., age-related macular degeneration, bionic eye). To translate caricaturing usefully to patients, assignment of the multiple face landmark points needed to produce the caricatures needs to be fully automatised. Recent development in computer science allows automatic face landmark detection of 68 points in real time and in multiple viewpoints. However, previous demonstrations of the behavioural effectiveness of caricaturing have used higher-precision caricatures with 147 landmark points per face, assigned by hand. Here, we test the effectiveness of the auto-assigned 68-point caricatures. We also compare this to the hand-assigned 147-point caricatures. METHOD: We assessed human perception of how different in identity pairs of faces appear, when veridical (uncaricatured), caricatured with 68-points, and caricatured with 147-points. Across two experiments, we tested two types of low-vision images: a simulation of blur, as experienced in macular degeneration (testing two blur levels); and a simulation of the phosphenised images seen in prosthetic vision (at three resolutions). RESULTS: The 68-point caricatures produced significant improvements in identity discrimination relative to veridical. They were approximately 50% as effective as the 147-point caricatures. CONCLUSION: Realistic translation to patients (e.g., via real time caricaturing with the enhanced signal sent to smart glasses or visual prosthetic) is approaching feasibility. For maximum effectiveness software needs to be able to assign landmark points tracing out all details of feature and face shape, to produce high-precision caricatures.
Subject(s)
Facial Recognition , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Male , Neural Prostheses , Photic Stimulation/methods , Software , Young AdultSubject(s)
Blindness/psychology , Interdisciplinary Communication , Macular Degeneration/psychology , Patient Care Team , Respect , Aged , Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Angiogenesis Inhibitors/economics , Angiogenesis Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Anxiety/etiology , Anxiety/prevention & control , Attitude to Health , Blindness/economics , Blindness/rehabilitation , Depression/etiology , Depression/prevention & control , Drug Costs , Humans , Informed Consent , Intravitreal Injections , Macular Degeneration/drug therapy , Macular Degeneration/economics , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Ophthalmology , Patient Education as Topic , Psychology , Quality of Life , Social Support , Social WorkABSTRACT
Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the vision improvement through the use of visual aids of patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) those were examined in the low vision department. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing medical records of 61 patients with AMD who were referred to the Low Vision Department from January 2012 to December 2014. The data collected included age, sex, diagnosis of the type of AMD and previous use of vascular endothelium growth factor inhibitor or antioxidants. In addition, far acuity, with and without optical aid, was indicated as well as which aid was prescribed. Results: In this study with 61 patients, 54.1% were male and 45.9% female. The most prevalent age group was 71-80 years old (44.3%) and most of the patients had the dry form of AMD (70.5%). With the use of visual aids, 73.8% of the patients improved visual acuity for far vision. The most prescribed optical aid was the Galileu 2.8x telescope (50.8%). Conclusion: Patients with visual impairment and AMD can benefit significantly from the visual aids if they are properly prescribed and fitted. Most patients in the study were fitted with at least one of the indicated visual aids, resulting in a significant improvement in far acuity.
Resumo Objetivo: Avaliar a melhora da visão através de auxílios visuais em pacientes portadores de Degeneração Macular Relacionada a Idade (DMRI) encaminhados ao serviço de visão subnormal. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo, através da revisão 61 prontuários de pacientes com diagnóstico de DMRI que foram encaminhados ao departamento de Visão Subnormal (VSN), no período de janeiro 2012 a dezembro de 2014. Foram coletados dados sobre idade, sexo, diagnóstico do tipo de DMRI e uso prévio de inibidor do fator de crescimento do endotélio vascular (anti-VEGF) ou antioxidante. Além disso, outras informações foram colhidas como acuidade visual para longe sem auxílio e com auxílio óptico, indicando o(s) auxílio(s) óptico(s) prescrito(s). Resultados: Dos 61 pacientes avaliados, 54,1% eram do sexo masculino e 45,9% do sexo feminino. A faixa etária mais prevalente foi de 71-80 anos (44,3%) e a maioria (70,5%) apresentava a forma seca de DMRI. Com o uso de recursos visuais, 73,8% dos tiveram melhora da acuidade visual para longe. O auxilio óptico mais prescrito foi o telescópio do tipo Galileu 2,8x (50,8%). Conclusão: Pacientes com deficiência visual e DMRI podem se beneficiar significativamente dos recursos visuais se esses forem devidamente indicados e adaptados. A maioria dos pacientes aceitou pelo menos um dos recursos visuais indicados resultando numa melhora importante da acuidade visual de longe.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Visual Acuity , Macular Degeneration/diagnosis , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Ophthalmoscopy , Sensory Aids , Vision Tests/methods , Fluorescein Angiography , Medical Records , Vision, Low , Retrospective Studies , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Eyeglasses , Visual Field Tests , Telescopes , Slit Lamp Microscopy , Macular Degeneration/classification , Anterior Eye Segment/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
Reading is the most frequent clinical complaint and the primary goal for patients with macular degeneration seeking vision rehabilitation. The current prevalent methods for reading skills training across the globe are still magnification and basic scotoma awareness training. More recent studies showed that specific eccentric training, comprehension ability training, and specific oculomotor training are all beneficial to reading skills rehabilitation. In clinical practice, ophthalmologists should strive to implement reading skills methods that include assessment of cognitive skills, optimal eyewear, optimal reading material, PRL assessment, training of better oculomotor control, and efficient perceptual training.
Subject(s)
Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Reading , Visual Acuity/physiology , Humans , Macular Degeneration/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Central retinal loss through macular disease markedly reduces the ability to read largely because identification of a word using peripheral vision is negatively influenced by nearby text, a phenomenon termed visual crowding. Here, we present a novel peripheral reading protocol, termed Word Mode, that eliminates crowding by presenting each word in isolation but in a position that mimics its natural position in the line of text being read, with each new word elicited using a self-paced button press. We used a gaze-contingent paradigm to simulate a central scotoma in four normally-sighted observers, and measured oral reading speed for text positioned 7.5° in the inferior field. Compared with reading whole sentences, our crowding-free protocol increased peripheral reading speeds by up to a factor of seven, resulted in significantly fewer reading errors and fixations per sentence, and reduced both the critical print size and the text size required for spot reading by 0.2-0.3 logMAR. We conclude that the level of reading efficiency afforded by the crowding-free reading protocol Word Mode may return reading as a viable activity to many individuals with macular disease.
Subject(s)
Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Reading , Software , Adolescent , Adult , Fixation, Ocular , Humans , Macular Degeneration/physiopathologyABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness and low vision among older adults. Previous research shows a high prevalence of distress and disruption to the lifestyle of family caregivers of persons with late AMD. This supports existing evidence that caregivers are 'hidden patients' at risk of poor health outcomes. There is ample scope for improving the support available to caregivers, and further research should be undertaken into developing services that are tailored to the requirements of family caregivers of persons with AMD. This study aims to implement and evaluate an innovative, multi-modal support service programme that aims to empower family caregivers by improving their coping strategies, enhancing hopeful feelings such as self-efficacy and helping them make the most of available sources of social and financial support. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A randomised controlled trial consisting of 360 caregiver-patient pairs (180 in each of the intervention and wait-list control groups). The intervention group will receive the following: (1) mail-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy designed to improve psychological adjustment and adaptive coping skills; (2) telephone-delivered group counselling sessions allowing caregivers to explore the impacts of caring and share their experiences; and (3) education on available community services/resources, financial benefits and respite services. The cognitive behavioural therapy embedded in this programme is the best evaluated and widely used psychosocial intervention. The primary outcome is a reduction in caregiver burden. Secondary outcomes include improvements in caregiver mental well-being, quality of life, fatigue and self-efficacy. Economic analysis will inform whether this intervention is cost-effective and if it is feasible to roll out this service on a larger scale. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the University of Sydney human research ethics committee. Study findings will be disseminated via presentations at national/international conferences and peer-reviewed journal articles. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial registration number is ACTRN12616001461482; pre-results.
Subject(s)
Caregivers , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/methods , Research Design , Self-Help Groups , Social Support , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Australia , Caregivers/education , Caregivers/psychology , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Counseling , Evidence-Based Practice , Fatigue , Female , Humans , Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Macular Degeneration/psychology , Male , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Patient Education as Topic , Quality of Life , Self CareABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze Stargardt disease (STGD) by morpho-functional examination and investigate the relationship between morpho-functional measures and reading performance. DESIGN: Observational case series study. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen patients with STGD. METHODS: Twenty-six eyes of 15 patients underwent complete ophthalmic evaluation. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and microperimetric examinations were performed. FAF and optical coherence tomography (OCT) overlap on microperimetric images was obtained in order to evaluate both tomographic and FAF features passing through the eccentric fixation area. Both morphologic features and functional data were correlated with magnification of prescribed device and reading rate. RESULTS: Univariable analysis showed a significant correlation between magnification power and greatest linear dimension of both OCT and FAF (r = 0.69 and r = 0.67; p < 0.05). Magnification power was related to best corrected visual acuity (r = 0.56; p < 0.05). Retinal sensitivity map (r = 0.57; p < 0.05) was considered an indicator of reading rate. Magnification levels showed a positive correlation with eccentric preferred retinal location (p = 0.03) and the degree of FAF alteration (normal, dishomogeneous, ipoautofluorescence; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: As a result of the overlapping of OCT/FAF imaging on microperimetric exam, residual activity of outer retinal layers passing through the eccentric fixation area seems to be related with required magnification and reading rate. Identification of morpho-functional parameters is helpful for designing a customized rehabilitative program.
Subject(s)
Macular Degeneration/congenital , Reading , Visual Acuity/physiology , Visual Fields/physiology , Adolescent , Adult , Eyeglasses , Female , Fluorescein Angiography/methods , Fundus Oculi , Humans , Macular Degeneration/diagnosis , Macular Degeneration/physiopathology , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Retinal Pigment Epithelium/pathology , Stargardt Disease , Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods , Visual Field Tests/methods , Young AdultABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the reading performance using the Minnesota low vision reading (MNREAD) charts, of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who use low vision aid (LVA) devices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 27 patients with AMD. Distance visual acuity (VA) was evaluated with a distance chart designed for patients with low vision. Near vision and reading performance were evaluated with the Turkish version of the MNREAD charts. Unaided vision and vision with LVA devices and high spherical add near glasses was measured. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean unaided near VA was 1.05 ± 0.27 log of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR). The mean VA with the LVA devices was 0.71 ± 0.41 LogMAR. Reading acuity ranged between 1.15 and 0.21 LogMAR, critical print size was between - 1.2 and 0.2 LogMAR. Maximum reading speeds were between 0 and 103 words/min. The cases are divided into groups in terms of reading speed according to age, gender, diagnosis, and education. Reading speed was negatively correlated to increasing age. CONCLUSION: MNREAD reading charts can be used to evaluate reading performance in patients with AMD with low vision. The outcomes of the present study indicate that optical correction is adequate for near VA requirements in this patient population. However, optical correction was inadequate for improving reading performance. Appropriate rehabilitation programs can be used to increase reading speed.
Subject(s)
Dyslexia/diagnosis , Macular Degeneration/diagnosis , Reading , Vision Tests/instrumentation , Vision, Low/diagnosis , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Contrast Sensitivity/physiology , Dyslexia/rehabilitation , Female , Humans , Macular Degeneration/rehabilitation , Male , Middle Aged , Minnesota , Prospective Studies , Sensory Aids , Vision, Low/rehabilitation , Visual Acuity/physiologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The implantation of an intraocular telescope increases life quality in patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The present study monitored changes in electrophysiological markers of visual processing before and during seventeen months after a novel mirror telescope implantation in two patients (OV-male 90 years, MZ-female 70 years) with the final-stage form of AMD. METHODS: Visual evoked potentials were recorded to high-contrast pattern-reversal (PR-VEP for check size 40' and 10'), low-contrast motion-onset stimuli (in visual periphery M-VEP M20°, and in central part M-VEP C8°), and event-related potentials (ERPs) in the oddball visual paradigm. RESULTS: MZ's more systematic responses showed attenuation and prolongation of the M-VEP M20° and the PR-VEP 40' immediately after the telescope implantation with a slow amplitude recovery with unchanged prolonged latency. The implantation completely eradicated the M-VEP C8° without any restoration. The PR-VEP 10' were not readable. Only a part of OV's PR-VEP 40' and M-VEP M20' were of a repeatable and expected morphology. These OV's VEPs were consistent with MZ's findings. The ERPs did not show any effect of implantation in both patients. Post-implantation visual acuity and reaction time overcame the pre-implantation levels. CONCLUSIONS: The mirror telescope preserved peripheral vision in contrast to classic telescopes; however, the telescope concurrently reduced the luminance of the magnified retinal image, which was likely responsible for the prolongation of the VEP latencies.