Visual Rehabilitation Through Acoustic Biofeedback With Retimax Vision Trainer in Patients With Advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration

Summary

At present there are no real therapies able to improve visual performance in patients with age-related macular degeneration, atrophic type. The aim of the study is to verify whether with rehabilitation sessions with Retimax Vision Trainer it is possible to teach the maculopathic patient to exploit the extrafoveal areas of the retina, not affected by atrophy, resorting to an eccentric vision that compensates for the foveal one, thus obtaining a improvement of visual outcomes (far and near vision capacity, sensitivity to contrast to reading, reading speed, fixation capacity and overall quality of life of the visually impaired patient suffering from atrophic senile maculopathy (AMD)). To do this, the study design was conceived as a non-randomized prospective comparative and involves the formation of two groups of patients: a group A of 15 patients who will be rehabilitated with Retimax and a group B of 15 patients who will not be rehabilitated, but only re-evaluated at the same distance of time that will elapse for group A. Eligible patients are affected by atrophic AMD with unstable fixation and better vision in the eye between 1/10 and 4/10 in the absence of other serious eye diseases. As there is currently no real therapy capable of improving visual performance, the demonstration of the positive effect of the visual rehabilitation program with Retimax in patients suffering from atrophic macular degeneration may encourage a wider use of this method. The patient could benefit from a non-invasive, repeatable and cost-effective procedure.

Conditions

• Macular Degeneration Advanced
• Macular Degeneration, Senile
• Macular Degeneration, Dry
• Macular Scar
• Macular Degeneration Nonexudative

Interventions

DEVICE

Retimax Vision Trainer

The Retimax Vision Trainer is an innovative method that aims to increase visual function in patients with eye diseases of various origins and nature, allowing the patient to exploit and optimize their residual visual potential. It is aimed at patients with visual impairments of different origins and severity, such as campimetric deficits, low vision of central origin, degenerative retinal diseases, amblyopia. (1,2) It consists of a device for recording bioelectrical responses evoked during the perception of structured visual stimuli and the control of the same by the patient through a sound biofeedback mechanism. This results in an increase in visual capacity, exploiting neuronal plasticity through the activation of alternative neuronal circuits.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Gian Maria Cavallini, Associate Professor · Dipartimento Chirurgico, Medico, Odontoiatrico e di Scienze Morfologiche con interesse Trapiantologico, Oncologico e di Medicina Rigenerativa -UNIMORE- University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

90 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-03-07

Primary Completion

2019-06-30

Completion

2019-06-30

Countries

• Italy

Study Locations