The ARUTIS Study (Anglia Ruskin University Trial of the Intuitive System)

Launched by ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY · Oct 19, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The ARUTIS Study is researching how different types of colored lenses can help young people aged 9 to 18 who experience visual stress. Visual stress can cause symptoms like words moving, merging, or appearing to stand out, making reading and learning difficult. In this study, half of the participants will wear specially designed lenses that are thought to be most effective, while the other half will wear lenses that are not as well-matched to their needs. Over three months, participants will wear these lenses for one month at a time, with a break in between, while tracking their symptoms and any changes in reading speed or school performance.

To join the study, participants need to be between 9 and 18 years old and show signs of visual stress, such as difficulty reading or discomfort with certain lights. Parents will also need to give their consent. Throughout the trial, participants will fill out daily symptom diaries and surveys about their academic performance. At the end of the study, everyone will find out which lenses worked best for them. This trial is important because it aims to improve the reading experience for young people with visual stress, helping them perform better in school and in daily life.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Age 9-18y.
• • 2. Meet diagnostic indicators for visual stress (see below)
• • 3. Consent (parent and participant to attend for optometric testing and participate in research.
• • 4. Do not anticipate moving from the area in the next 3 months
• • Diagnostic indicators for visual stress
• At least three of the following six typical symptoms:
• • 1. Words Move
• • 2. Words Merge
• • 3. Patterns or shadows in text (e.g., "rivers")
• • 4. Text seems to stand out in 3-D above the page
• • 5. Words or letters fade or darken
• • 6. Discomfort with certain artificial lights and flicker
• And "At least two of the following three signs from investigations:
• • 1. Voluntary unprompted use of an overlay for 3 months or more
• • 2. Overlay improves performance at the WWRT BY ≥15%
• • 3. PGT result \>3 with mid spatial frequency grating.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. History of wearing precision tinted lenses.
• • 2. Ocular pathology, systemic pathology that is likely to worsen in the timescale of the study or cause transient blur (e.g., diabetes) or photosensitive epilepsy