search
Back to results

Biofeedback for Hemianopia Vision Rehabilitation

Primary Purpose

Hemianopsia, Homonymous, Brain Injury, Stroke

Status
Recruiting
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Canada
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Biofeedback training
Sponsored by
University Health Network, Toronto
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Hemianopsia, Homonymous focused on measuring hemianopsia, stroke, brain tumor, brain trauma, visual fields, visual loss, low vision, fixation stability, biofeedback training, MAIA microperimeter

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - 90 Years (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • hemianopia cases previously diagnosed accordingly by microperimetry and other tests as needed
  • 18-90 years old
  • ability to follow the visual and auditory stimuli and training instructions

Exclusion Criteria:

  • previous or current treatment for low vision rehabilitation
  • ocular diseases
  • other serious clinical conditions not related to the hemianopia physiopathology
  • both eyes with media opacity that impairs microperimetry testing
  • lack of ability to perform the tests and training

Sites / Locations

  • Toronto Western HospitalRecruiting

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

No Intervention

Arm Label

Group A

Group B

Arm Description

The patients will undergo baseline assessment and receive the intervention, being assessed after the intervention.

The patients will perform the same tests for assessment as in group A, however, no intervention will be done. They may enrol in the study as group B after completing group B participation.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Visual Acuity
ETDRS best corrected visual acuity
Fixation stability
As measure by the MAIA microperimeter at the BCEA 63% ellipse area.
Retinal sensitivity
Paracentral (2 central vertical columns) and total average in dB as measured by the MAIA microperimeter.
Reading speed
As measured with the MNRead charts
Near vision
Measured with the Colenbrander 100% charts
Quality of Life Questionnaire scores
As measured with the Massof - 48 questionnaire

Secondary Outcome Measures

Stereopsis
As measured with the Frisby stereotest
Contrast Sensitivity
As measured with the F.A.C.T. test at 1m

Full Information

First Posted
December 1, 2021
Last Updated
May 24, 2022
Sponsor
University Health Network, Toronto
Collaborators
University of Toronto
search

1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT05397873
Brief Title
Biofeedback for Hemianopia Vision Rehabilitation
Official Title
Biofeedback Training to Improve Fixation Stability, Visual Function Outcomes, and Quality of Life in Hemianopia Cases
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
May 2022
Overall Recruitment Status
Recruiting
Study Start Date
July 8, 2021 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
July 2023 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
July 2024 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
University Health Network, Toronto
Collaborators
University of Toronto

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
Patients with brain injury secondary to stroke, surgery, or trauma frequently suffer from homonymous hemianopia, defined as vision loss in one hemifield secondary to retro- chiasmal lesion. Classic and effective saccadic compensatory training therapies are current aim to reorganize the control of visual information processing and eye movements or, in other words, to induce or improve oculomotor adaptation to visual field loss. Patients learn to intentionally shift their eyes and, thus, their visual field border, into the area corresponding to their blind visual field. This shift brings the visual information from the blind hemifield into the seeing hemifield for further processing. Patients learn, therefore, to efficiently use their eyes "to keep the 'blind side' in sight". Biofeedback training (BT) is the latest and newest technique for oculomotor control training in cases with low vision when using available modules in the new microperimetry instruments. Studies in the literature highlighted positive benefits from using BT in a variety of central vision loss, nystagmus cases, and others.The purpose of this study is to assess systematically the impact of BT in a series of cases with hemianopia and formulate guidelines for further use of this intervention in vision rehabilitation of hemianopia cases in general.
Detailed Description
Background Patients with brain injury secondary to stroke, surgery, or trauma frequently suffer from homonymous hemianopia, defined as vision loss in one hemifield secondary to retro- chiasmal lesion. About 45% of stroke survivors have homonymous hemianopia. A deficit in vision and spatial perception can cause slowdown of the rehabilitation progress in physiotherapy. According to Kerkhoff 1patients face three main visual behavioral problems: (1) impaired eye movements (including saccades) leading to defective visual and spatial exploration, (2) hemianopic reading deficit (hemianopic alexia) because of the parafoveal field loss and (3) deviated subjective midline. Hemianopic dyslexia is not simply the product of the visual field defect but is caused by a disorder of control of visual information processing and eye movements in reading. Most important, the capability to read is fundamental for daily living and an essential prerequisite for education and success in our modern society, so this disorder can have a profound effect on patients' lives. Patients with visual field loss usually fail to adapt to their reading impairment (80% of cases). In these cases, word identification and the abilities to plan and guide reading eye movements are disturbed. In spite of these facts, visual rehabilitation program on a larger scale is still missing in most rehabilitation centers and clinics. This is decurrent to the generalized belief that lesions of the lateral geniculate nucleus and striate cortex lead to a permanent loss of vision. According to scientific findings, this does not always have to be true. Classic and effective saccadic compensatory training therapies are current.5 They aim to reorganize the control of visual information processing and eye movements or, in other words, to induce or improve oculomotor adaptation to visual field loss. Such therapies involve the systematic and repetitive practice of specific eye movements for reading or for visual exploration. Patients learn to intentionally shift their eyes and, thus, their visual field border, into the area corresponding to their blind visual field. This shift brings the visual information from the blind hemifield into the seeing hemifield for further processing. Patients learn, therefore, to efficiently use their eyes "to keep the 'blind side' in sight". The training-induced, efficient oculomotor adaptation to visual field loss becomes manifest as a change of reading (or visual exploration) eye-movement patterns and indicates the functional reorganization of the control of visual information processing and eye movements.6 Biofeedback training for active eye movement control was never used in hemianopia cases before. Biofeedback training (BT) is the latest and newest technique for oculomotor control training in cases with low vision when using available modules in the new microperimetry instruments.7-9 Studies in the literature highlighted positive benefits from using BT in a variety of central vision loss, nystagmus cases, and others.10-18 The purpose of this study is to assess systematically the impact of BT in a series of cases with hemianopia and formulate guidelines for further use of this intervention in vision rehabilitation of hemianopia cases in general. Rationale for the study The deviation of the subjective midline in hemianopia cases brings visual perception from a line of objects in the surrounds to be at a much higher-level of perception/cognition, thus disturbing reading, gait and balance. Besides that, impaired saccades also cause wrong exploration patterns and deteriorated visual search. It results in the prolonged exploration time of a scene and can lead to significant problems in daily life such as inability to navigate around various obstacles (cars, people and other objects). It also causes a cognitive deficit while extracting information from a visual scene. 1 A combination of factors such as reduced contrast sensitivity, impaired visual search and inaccurate fixation contributes to the matter. Visual information extraction from the parafoveal visual field provides the basis for planning and guiding of reading eye movements. Therefore, patients with hemianopia have difficulties in shifting their gaze systematically from left to right (in right-sided field loss) or finding the beginning of a new line (in left sided field loss). Such eye movements are optimized by visual feedback. BT promotes luminous and auditory biofeedback, which potentializes its efficacy in vision rehabilitation. BT in the microperimeter module provides the accurate and efficient oculomotor training necessary to relocate the subjective midline to the seeing field in 1-20 or even more, as needed. BT also improves dramatically fixation stability and saccades. The advantage of this training method over classic training is potentially great. Firstly, the highest retinal sensitivity convenient point can be identified considering the whole visual field. The microperimeter provides real time scrutiny of ocular movements on a screen, and the therapist is able to select precisely the trained retinal locus (FFT) to be used by the patient on top of the microperimeter visual field. Finally, according to the patients' response the FFT can be readjusted. Eight cases trained with BT for hemianopia in our low vision rehabilitation (LVR) service had marked improvements in fixation stability, and microperimeter fields. Expansion of visual space in the direction of the blind field and compression of visual space in the direction of the seeing field may be a contributory factor to the altered perception of their egocentric directional sense and overall more veridical mapping of their visual space, as well as the resultant shift in their positional centre of gravity. We hypothesize that BT promotes this field relocation. Conventional visual exploration training studies have confirmed that 10 to 25 training sessions in a 6-week period can be effective for hemianopia patients to adopt these strategies. BT is able to achieve significant results in 5 weekly sessions of 20 minutes each, according to 8 cases treated in our service. Study hypothesis The visual and audio parts of the BT program improve in a synergistic way oculomotor control through attention improvement and volitional eye movements towards pre-designated targets. Improved oculomotor control results in better fixation stability of eyes. Better fixation stability in turn results in better navigation for distance and near vision reading. Dual sensory BT is a therapy used in low vision for more than ten years, showing good results for near and distance vision in cases with macular degeneration and other pathologies. The study hypothesis, never tested before, is that BT in cases with hemianopia will impact positively oculomotor control and visual acuity as it was proven to do in cases with macular degeneration. Significance of the study Vision is a major sensory input to the human brain. Half of the afferent neuronal fibers projecting to the brain originate from the eyes. Intact visual abilities are an important condition enabling us to orient ourselves in our world. Pambakian and Kennard 20 reported that 50% of all neurological admissions into hospitals in the United Kingdom are due to a stroke and 30% percent of them are reported to have hemianopia. Numbers of hemianopic patients reported in the Czech Republic are similar and somewhat lower due to differences in diagnostics and classification of nosological units.21 Visual impairments are present in 20 to 40% of patients in neurological rehabilitation centers. If brain visual plasticity is possible to be achieved from conventional vision training methods, specialized training with BT needs to be investigated as a tool to improve significantly a cortical visual disorder. There is need for simple and more effective visual training which could be used in LVR in large scale for hemianopia cases. Furthermore, BT needs to be evaluated in terms of quality of life (QoL) improvement to the patients. The objectives set for this trial is to verify if BT impacts on oculomotor control in cases with hemianopia and results in better fixation stability, reading speed and QoL in those trained with BT.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Hemianopsia, Homonymous, Brain Injury, Stroke, Brain Tumor, Brain Trauma
Keywords
hemianopsia, stroke, brain tumor, brain trauma, visual fields, visual loss, low vision, fixation stability, biofeedback training, MAIA microperimeter

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Crossover Assignment
Model Description
A group of patients have the intervention and another group has control tests. The control group crosses over to the interventional group
Masking
Outcomes Assessor
Masking Description
The assessor does not know if the patient is in the control group, treatment group or cross over group.
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
32 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Group A
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
The patients will undergo baseline assessment and receive the intervention, being assessed after the intervention.
Arm Title
Group B
Arm Type
No Intervention
Arm Description
The patients will perform the same tests for assessment as in group A, however, no intervention will be done. They may enrol in the study as group B after completing group B participation.
Intervention Type
Device
Intervention Name(s)
Biofeedback training
Intervention Description
The training of oculomotor functions is done on the biofeedback module of a microperimeter MAIA.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Visual Acuity
Description
ETDRS best corrected visual acuity
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback
Title
Fixation stability
Description
As measure by the MAIA microperimeter at the BCEA 63% ellipse area.
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback
Title
Retinal sensitivity
Description
Paracentral (2 central vertical columns) and total average in dB as measured by the MAIA microperimeter.
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback
Title
Reading speed
Description
As measured with the MNRead charts
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback
Title
Near vision
Description
Measured with the Colenbrander 100% charts
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback
Title
Quality of Life Questionnaire scores
Description
As measured with the Massof - 48 questionnaire
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Stereopsis
Description
As measured with the Frisby stereotest
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback
Title
Contrast Sensitivity
Description
As measured with the F.A.C.T. test at 1m
Time Frame
1 week post biofeedback

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
90 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: hemianopia cases previously diagnosed accordingly by microperimetry and other tests as needed 18-90 years old ability to follow the visual and auditory stimuli and training instructions Exclusion Criteria: previous or current treatment for low vision rehabilitation ocular diseases other serious clinical conditions not related to the hemianopia physiopathology both eyes with media opacity that impairs microperimetry testing lack of ability to perform the tests and training
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Toronto Western Hospital
City
Toronto
State/Province
Ontario
ZIP/Postal Code
M5T2S8
Country
Canada
Individual Site Status
Recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
MONICA DAIBERT NIDO, MD
Phone
4166035470
Email
monica.nido@uhn.ca
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Monica Daibert Nido, MD
Phone
4164819995

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
Undecided
Citations:
PubMed Identifier
12671237
Citation
Kerkhoff G. Restorative and compensatory therapy approaches in cerebral blindness - a review. Restor Neurol Neurosci. 1999;15(2-3):255-71.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
24911923
Citation
Bansal S, Han E, Ciuffreda KJ. Use of yoked prisms in patients with acquired brain injury: a retrospective analysis. Brain Inj. 2014;28(11):1441-6. doi: 10.3109/02699052.2014.919527. Epub 2014 Jun 9.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
29784180
Citation
Nido MD, Markowitz SN. Vision rehabilitation with biofeedback training. Can J Ophthalmol. 2018 Jun;53(3):e83-e84. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.11.003. Epub 2017 Dec 21. No abstract available.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
31109472
Citation
Daibert-Nido M, Patino B, Markowitz M, Markowitz SN. Rehabilitation with biofeedback training in age-related macular degeneration for improving distance vision. Can J Ophthalmol. 2019 Jun;54(3):328-334. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2018.10.016. Epub 2019 Apr 2.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
33567015
Citation
Daibert-Nido M, Pyatova Y, Markowitz M, Markowitz SN. Visual outcomes of audio-luminous biofeedback training for a child with idiopathic nystagmus. Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2021 Mar-Apr;84(2):179-182. doi: 10.5935/0004-2749.20210026.
Results Reference
background

Learn more about this trial

Biofeedback for Hemianopia Vision Rehabilitation

We'll reach out to this number within 24 hrs