This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Neural adaptive program shows potential, study shows
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
SINGAPORE — Contrast sensitivity and uncorrected visual acuity in low myopes, emmetropic presbyopes and post-refractive surgery patients may be improved through a neural adaptation program, preliminary study results show.
Donald Tan, MD, described a computerized visual training program that uses Gabor patches to facilitate neural connections in order to enhance “perceptual learning.” The treatment was performed on 113 patients with low myopia, 41 patients with presbyopia and 14 post-refractive surgery patients.
Prof. Tan said the group with low myopia gained 2.8 lines of uncorrected VA and improved contrast sensitivity to within the normal range. Fifty-five patients at 6 months follow-up maintained 85% of the visual improvement, although the 16 patients who had been followed to 12 months maintained only 5% of the improvement.
The presbyopic group gained 1.6 lines of uncorrected vision and showed significant improvements in contrast sensitivity, Prof. Tan told attendees here at the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.
The post-refractive surgery group gained 2.05 lines in uncorrected visual acuity.
“Results to date suggest the treatment improves unaided visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in low myopes, emmetropic presbyopes and post-refractive surgery patients,” Prof. Tan said.
A randomized trial for the low to moderate myope is under way, he said.