Brain Stimulation for Vision Impairment
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This pilot clinical trial evaluates whether non-invasive brain stimulation improves the orientation and mobility (O\&M) skills of individuals with constricted visual fields in both eyes. The study is composed of three visits. The first visit is meant to confirm eligibility by performing a few clinical tests. Eligible participants will then complete two additional visits, one in which they receive active stimulation, and one in which they receive placebo (sham) stimulation. Stimulation will be administered in a randomized, double-blind order. To evaluate improvement, various measures of O\&M performance will be assessed on a standardized obstacle course featuring static natural and artificial obstacles at defined intervals after the intervention. We hypothesize that the application of brain stimulation to region of the brain responsible for visual processing will improve the orientation and mobility skills of individuals with binocular constricted visual fields immediately following stimulation, and the results will inform the design of a future, larger-scale study.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Benjamin Thompson, PhD
Principal Investigator
University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for adults over 18 with visual impairments due to conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, rod-cone dystrophy, or advanced glaucoma. Participants should have a certain level of vision loss and be able to follow the study's schedule. They must understand the consent form and be previously trained in using a white cane for mobility.Inclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants receive active or placebo brain stimulation and complete orientation and mobility (O&M) course
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for immediate effects of brain stimulation on O&M skills
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- hf-tRNS
Trial Overview
The study tests if brain stimulation can improve orientation and mobility skills in visually impaired individuals. It involves three visits: one for eligibility confirmation, followed by two sessions where participants receive either active or placebo brain stimulation in random order.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Participants in this arm will be exposed to placebo/sham stimulation for 20 minutes whilst seated quietly at treatment session 1 (study visit 2). They will then proceed to complete the orientation and mobility (O\&M) course 2-minutes and 30-minutes after stimulation. It is important to note that they will also complete the course before undergoing stimulation. In addition, individuals with constricted visual fields in both eyes who use a white cane for travelling will be encouraged to use their personal cane for the course, whereas those who do not use a cane will complete the course as they naturally would for any travel paths. Forty-eight hours later the same participants in this arm will be exposed to active stimulation (study visit 3) and except for the treatment they receive that day, the same protocol from the previous visit will be executed, and the same outcome measures evaluated. Interventions: Placebo/sham hf-tRNS at treatment (study visit 2); Active hf-tRNS (study visit 3).
Participants in this arm will be exposed to active stimulation for 20 minutes whilst seated quietly at treatment session 1 (study visit 2). They will then complete the orientation and mobility (O\&M) course 2-minutes and 30-minutes after stimulation. It is important to note that they will also complete the course before undergoing stimulation. In addition, individuals with constricted visual fields in both eyes who use a white cane for travelling will be encouraged to use their personal cane for the course, whereas those who do not use a cane will complete the course as they naturally would for any travel paths. Forty-eight hours later the same participants in this arm will be exposed to placebo/sham stimulation (study visit 3) and except for the treatment they receive that day, the same protocol from the previous visit will be executed, and the same outcome measures evaluated. Interventions: Active hf-tRNS at treatment (study visit 2); Placebo/sham hf-tRNS (study visit 3).
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Waterloo
Lead Sponsor
University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science
Collaborator
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Collaborator
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