Virtual Reality-Base Intelligent Orientation and Mobility Specialists Trial

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · Nov 18, 2020

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective Virtual Reality (VR) can be in helping people with low vision learn to navigate their environment safely. The trial will test three different VR programs designed to teach specific skills, like crossing the street and understanding outdoor signs. Participants will be assigned to one of three groups: one will learn using the VR programs, another will learn from a real-life expert in orientation and mobility, and the third group will watch educational videos but won't receive any training.

To join the study, participants must have stable vision loss and not have had previous training in these navigation skills. They should be able to see well enough to learn the tasks and have no serious medical conditions that would interfere with participation. Throughout the trial, participants will be evaluated before training, right after, and three months later to see how well they can perform the skills they've learned. It’s a great opportunity for those who want to improve their ability to move around safely, and it could help researchers understand how VR can assist individuals with low vision.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Have stable, late-onset visual impairment.
• • Not have had formal O\&M training. Potential participants will be taken to real streets by COMS and their performance on the 3 studied tasks will be evaluated.
• • Following visual function requirements for the three studied O\&M tasks
• • Task NLPT: best corrected visual acuity of 20/650 or worse
• * Task TGJ:
• • central vision loss - acuity 20/100-20/300, radius of field 50-80 deg
• • peripheral vision loss - acuity 20/15-20/100, radius of field 5-55 deg
• • Task ONS: visual function requirements for both Tasks NLPT \& TGJ
• • Possess sufficient functional vision to learn the O\&M tasks (evaluated by COMS in real streets)
• • Have O\&M as a rehabilitation goal
• • Normal or corrected to normal hearing
• • No cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) or MoCA-blind (MoCA-B) score exceeds education-adjusted cutoffs)
• • Dexterity to operate a pointing mouse or a joystick
• • Physical stamina to walk a few street blocks under guidance of COMSs and to stand or sit for 30-min training sessions on the street or in the VR simulator
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients in the rapid progression phase of ocular diseases, such as wet macular degeneration
• • Patients under aggressive treatment of ocular diseases, such as VEGF injection for retinal diseases
• • Patients with congenital visual impairment will be excluded.
• • Participants will be excluded from the training for the skills that they already master.
• • Participants who have a history of epileptic seizure or are prone to motion sickness will be excluded.
• • Have difficulty in verbal communication in English.