NCT01223716

An Active Approach to Treat Amblyopia: Video Game Play

Does Video Game Play Induce Plasticity in the Visual System of Adults With Amblyopia?

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of California, Berkeley · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 5 Years – 75 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

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 adults with amblyopia.

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 amblyopic spatial vision. This study uses psychophysical measures to study neural plasticity in adults with amblyopia. Research participants will be asked 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.

Conditions

• Amblyopia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
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).
BEHAVIORAL	Video Game	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).
BEHAVIORAL	Crossover (Occlusion therapy + Video Game)	Phase 1. 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). Phase 2. 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).

Timeline

• Start date: 2004-12-01
• Primary completion: 2009-12-01
• Completion: 2009-12-01
• First posted: 2010-10-19
• Last updated: 2016-05-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States