NCT05888441

Obstacle Negotiation in Older People With and Without Vision Impairment

Impact of Stepping Over Obstacles of Different Contrast and Height on Gait and Eye Movements in Older Adults With and Without Vision Impairment

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Indiana University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Falls are common among people with vision impairment and can lead to devastating health consequences. Understanding the functions of vision and how the visual characteristics of obstacles in the walking path impact the gait of people with vision impairment is necessary to create strategies to prevent falls in this population. The purpose of this study is to determine how adults with vision impairment change their gait behavior when stepping over obstacles that vary in height and contrast to the ground. We will then determine the mechanisms of gaze behavior that correlate to the gait behavior.

Conditions

• Low Vision

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Obstacle characteristics	In the walking trials, when an obstacle is present, the obstacle height and obstacle contrast level will be varied across the trial repetitions. Each participant will be exposed to obstacles of two heights: the first will be 1 centimeter in height, and the second will be approximately 20% of the subject's leg length (ranging in physical height between 15 - 22 centimeters to cover a range of leg lengths in the population). Obstacles (of both heights) will also be painted such that their measured luminance (or contrast) level against the floor luminance is varied. High contrast obstacles will have ≥80% Michelson contrast and low contrast obstacles will have ≤30% Michelson contrast.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-04-14
• Primary completion: 2028-12-31
• Completion: 2028-12-31
• First posted: 2023-06-05
• Last updated: 2025-11-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States