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Lin W, He Z, Zhou S, Weng L, Zou L, Ye R, Zhu J, Lu F, Zhou J. Monocular Contrast Sensitivity Visual Perceptual Learning Rebalances Adult Amblyopes' Two Eyes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2025; 66:25. [PMID: 40402517 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.66.5.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2025] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study investigates the effects of monocular contrast sensitivity visual perceptual learning on binocular visual functions of adults with binocular imbalances. Methods Sixteen adults with anisometropic amblyopia (mean age, 24.63 ± 3.56 years), 20 adults with myopic anisometropia (mean age, 24.20 ± 1.94 years), and 16 visually normal adults (mean age, 24.88 ± 1.89 years) participated in this study. Each group was evenly divided into training (anisometropic amblyopia, myopic anisometropia, normal training group) and untrained control groups (anisometropic amblyopia controls, myopic anisometropia controls, and normal controls). Training groups underwent 10 days of monocular contrast sensitivity perceptual learning (two-alternative forced-choice contrast detection task at 6 cycles per degree) using the amblyopic or nondominant eye, whereas the control groups received no intervention during the same period. Monocular visual acuity, monocular and binocular contrast sensitivity, and balance point were measured before and after the intervention. Results Monocular contrast sensitivity perceptual learning significantly improved both contrast sensitivity and balance point at the trained spatial frequency (6 cycles per degree) in the trained eyes of the anisometropic amblyopia training group and myopic anisometropia training group, with improvements generalizing to nearby untrained spatial frequencies. However, no significant improvements were observed in binocular summation ratios for either group. The normal training group showed modest improvements limited to the trained eye at both trained and neighboring spatial frequencies, without significant binocular or untrained eye benefits. Conclusions Monocular contrast sensitivity visual perceptual learning effectively enhances monocular visual performance and positively affects binocular functions across trained and nearby untrained spatial frequencies, indicating its potential clinical usefulness in improving binocular vision among adults with binocular imbalances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenman Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhifen He
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shiqi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Liuqing Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Liying Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Renhao Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jinli Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Fan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Eye Health, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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Huang K, Xia M, Gong Q, Li K, Xu Y, Wang H, Wang Y, Zhou J, Hu L. The Relationship Between Binocular Imbalance and Myopic Shift in Unoperated Eyes After Unilateral SMILE and tPRK. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2025; 66:32. [PMID: 40227174 PMCID: PMC12007686 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.66.4.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2025] [Indexed: 04/15/2025] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between binocular imbalance and myopic shift in unoperated eyes after unilateral small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (tPRK) procedures. Methods This study included 51 participants who had undergone unilateral SMILE (n = 28) or tPRK (n = 23) for at least 3 months. The participants were categorized into stable and myopic shift groups based on the difference between preoperative and postoperative spherical equivalent refractive (SER) errors of unoperated eyes. Psychophysical tests were conducted only at the postoperative follow-up point. Spatial sensory eye dominance was determined by analyzing a binocular orientation combination task at spatial frequencies of 1 and 6 cycles per degree (c/d). A rotating cylinder generated a spontaneous Pulfrich phenomenon to determine the interocular delay at spatial frequencies of 0.95 and 2.95 c/d. Results The logrBP in the myopic shift group was significantly more negative than in the stable group at 1 c/d (P < 0.01) and 6 c/d (P < 0.01). And logrBP correlated with the difference between preoperative and postoperative SER of the unoperated eye at 1 c/d (rs = 0.513, P < 0.001) and 6 c/d (rs = 0.504, P < 0.001). In the myopic shift group, logrBP was more negative at 6 c/d than at 1 c/d (P = 0.013), but not in the stable group. Conclusions Patients who experience myopic shift in the unoperated eye after unilateral SMILE or tPRK tend to have stronger sensory eye dominance in that eye, with a more pronounced dominance at higher spatial frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyan Huang
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Mi Xia
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qianwen Gong
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kexin Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yijie Xu
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuzhou Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Hu
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
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Notaro G, Hasson U. Quantifying sighting dominance using on-display projections of monocular and binocular views. Behav Res Methods 2025; 57:52. [PMID: 39779640 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02512-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2025]
Abstract
Sighting dominance is an important behavioral property which has been difficult to measure quantitatively with high precision. We developed a measurement method that is grounded in a two-camera model that satisfies these aims. Using a simple alignment task, this method quantifies sighting ocular dominance during binocular viewing, identifying each eye's relative contribution to binocular vision. The method involves placing a physical target between the viewer and a display. The viewer indicates the perceived target's projection on the display with both eyes open and with only one eye open. The relative location of the binocular projection in relation to the two monocular projections is the index of dominance. The method produces a continuous variable with robust test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.96). The unit of measurement for the computed quantity is physiologically grounded: it is proportional to the distance between the monocular projections, which we show is predictable from interpupillary distance and phoria. Comparisons with the classic 'hole in card' sighting dominance test show good agreement, but also hint at potential bias for determining right-eye dominance in the latter. Interestingly, we find that some individuals systematically demonstrate nearly balanced vision, a phenomenon previously construed as mixed dominance or noisy responses. We also present ways to quantify and mitigate sources of random noise in this measurement. Overall, this new method allows for precise estimation of sighting dominance during binocular viewing. We expect it will allow a more effective understanding of the neural basis of dominance and improved effectiveness when using sighting dominance as a covariate in more complex analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Notaro
- CIMeC, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, The University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Uri Hasson
- CIMeC, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, The University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
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Reynaud A, Lorenzini MC, Koenekoop RK, Hess RF, Baldwin AS. Amblyopic binocular imbalance quantified by the dichoptic contrast ordering test and dichoptic letters test. Sci Rep 2025; 15:361. [PMID: 39748000 PMCID: PMC11696884 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-82899-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 12/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/04/2025] Open
Abstract
In amblyopia, abnormal binocular interactions lead to an overwhelming dominance of one eye. One mechanism implied in this imbalance is the suppression between the inputs from the two eyes. This interocular suppression involves two components: an overlay suppression and a surround suppression. Here, we propose a new method for measuring surround suppression which has been demonstrated in both strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes, based on a novel interocular contrast scaling task, suitable for use as a clinical tool. We compare the results obtained with this method against those from another method designed to measure overlay suppression: the Dichoptic Letter Test. We find a strong correlation between the results obtained with the two methods. Additionally, we observe strong correlations between the imbalance measured with the two tests and visual acuity and stereopsis. Altogether this suggests that amblyopic suppression is spatially broad and has direct relevance in global vision. So our new method is a relevant, clinically suitable tool to track the disease state in amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Reynaud
- Department Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill Vision Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- BRaIN Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Marie-Céline Lorenzini
- BRaIN Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert K Koenekoop
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Human Genetics and Ophthalmology, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert F Hess
- Department Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill Vision Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- BRaIN Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alex S Baldwin
- Department Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill Vision Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- BRaIN Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Hu J, Chen J, Yu M, Ku Y. Binocular imbalance measured by SSVEP predicts impaired stereoacuity in amblyopia. Heliyon 2024; 10:e39358. [PMID: 39497992 PMCID: PMC11532837 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 09/25/2024] [Accepted: 10/12/2024] [Indexed: 11/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The current study aims to implement steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) in quantifying the binocular imbalance of amblyopia and to assess the predictive value of SSVEP-derived indices for amblyopic stereoacuity. Methods We measure frequency-tagged SSVEP responses elicited by each eye (F1 = 6 Hz through the fellow eye; F2 = 7.5 Hz through the amblyopic eye) within a binocular rivalry paradigm among a cohort of anisometropic amblyopic observers (n = 29, mean age: 12 years). Binocular suppression was quantified by assessing the disparity in SSVEP amplitudes between the eyes, while the strength of interocular interaction was evaluated through the intermodulation response at F1+F2 = 13.5 Hz. Subsequent analyses explored the associations between these neural indices and relevant behavioral metrics in amblyopia. Results Results reveal a significant difference in SSVEP amplitudes elicited from the fellow eye and the amblyopic eye, with the former exhibiting notably higher responses. Moreover, the fellow eye demonstrated prolonged dominance duration compared to its amblyopic counterpart. Furthermore, a negative correlation between binocular suppression and interocular interaction was observed, with stereoacuity showing a significant correlation with binocular suppression. Utilizing stepwise mulptiple linear regression analysis, we established that a predictive model combining binocular suppression and visual acuity of the amblyopic eye provided the best prediction of stereoacuity. Conclusions These results highlight the potential of binocular suppression, as assessed by SSVEPs within a binocular rivalry paradigm, as a promising neural predictor of stereopsis in amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Minbin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yixuan Ku
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Center for Brain and Mental Wellbeing, Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Baldwin AS, Lorenzini MC, Fan AWY, Hess RF, Reynaud A. The dichoptic contrast ordering test: A method for measuring the depth of binocular imbalance. J Vis 2024; 24:2. [PMID: 39361273 PMCID: PMC11460568 DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.11.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In binocular vision, the relative strength of the input from the two eyes can have significant functional impact. These inputs are typically balanced; however, in some conditions (e.g., amblyopia), one eye will dominate over the other. To quantify imbalances in binocular vision, we have developed the Dichoptic Contrast Ordering Test (DiCOT). Implemented on a tablet device, the program uses rankings of perceived contrast (of dichoptically presented stimuli) to find a scaling factor that balances the two eyes. We measured how physical interventions (applied to one eye) affect the DiCOT measurements, including neutral density (ND) filters, Bangerter filters, and optical blur introduced by a +3-diopter (D) lens. The DiCOT results were compared to those from the Dichoptic Letter Test (DLT). Both the DiCOT and the DLT showed excellent test-retest reliability; however, the magnitude of the imbalances introduced by the interventions was greater in the DLT. To find consistency between the methods, rescaling the DiCOT results from individual conditions gave good results. However, the adjustments required for the +3-D lens condition were quite different from those for the ND and Bangerter filters. Our results indicate that the DiCOT and DLT measures partially separate aspects of binocular imbalance. This supports the simultaneous use of both measures in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex S Baldwin
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University; McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Céline Lorenzini
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University; McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Annabel Wing-Yan Fan
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University; McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University; McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Reynaud
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University; McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Wiecek E, Kosovicheva A, Ahmed Z, Nabasaliza A, Kazlas M, Chan K, Hunter DG, Bex PJ. Peripheral Binocular Imbalance in Anisometropic and Strabismic Amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:36. [PMID: 38652649 PMCID: PMC11044833 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.4.36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Individuals with amblyopia experience central vision deficits, including loss of visual acuity, binocular vision, and stereopsis. In this study, we examine the differences in peripheral binocular imbalance in children with anisometropic amblyopia, strabismic amblyopia, and typical binocular vision to determine if there are systematic patterns of deficits across the visual field. Methods This prospective cohort study recruited 12 participants with anisometropic amblyopia, 10 with strabismic amblyopia, and 10 typically sighted controls (age range, 5-18 years). Binocular imbalance was tested at 0°, 4°, and 8° eccentricities (4 angular locations each) using band-pass filtered Auckland optotypes (5 cycles per optotype) dichoptically presented with differing contrast to each eye. The interocular contrast ratio was adjusted until the participant reported each optotype with equal frequency. Results Participants with anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia had a more balanced contrast ratio, or decreased binocular imbalance, at 4° and 8° eccentricities as compared with central vision. Participants with strabismic amblyopia had significantly more binocular imbalance in the periphery as compared with individuals with anisometropic amblyopia or controls. A linear mixed effects model showed a main effect for strabismic amblyopia and eccentricity on binocular imbalance across the visual field. Conclusions There is evidence of decreased binocularity deficits, or interocular suppression, in the periphery in anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia as compared with controls. Notably, those with strabismic amblyopia exhibited more significant peripheral binocular imbalance. These variations in binocularity across the visual field among different amblyopia subtypes may necessitate tailored approaches for dichoptic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Wiecek
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Anna Kosovicheva
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zain Ahmed
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Amanda Nabasaliza
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Melanie Kazlas
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Kimberley Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - David G. Hunter
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Peter J. Bex
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Giaschi DE, Asare AK, Jost RM, Kelly KR, Birch EE. Motion-Defined Form Perception in Deprivation Amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:13. [PMID: 38573617 PMCID: PMC10996940 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.4.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess motion-defined form perception, including the association with clinical and sensory factors that may drive performance, in each eye of children with deprivation amblyopia due to unilateral cataract. Methods Coherence thresholds for orientation discrimination of motion-defined form were measured using a staircase procedure in 30 children with deprivation amblyopia and 59 age-matched controls. Visual acuity, stereoacuity, fusion, and interocular suppression were also measured. Fixation stability and fellow-eye global motion thresholds were measured in a subset of children. Results Motion-defined form coherence thresholds were elevated in 90% of children with deprivation amblyopia when viewing with the amblyopic eye and in 40% when viewing with the fellow eye. The deficit was similar in children with a cataract that had been visually significant at birth (congenital) and in children for whom the cataract appeared later in infancy or childhood (developmental). Poorer motion-defined form perception in amblyopic eyes was associated with poorer visual acuity, poorer binocular function, greater interocular suppression, and the presence of nystagmus. Fellow-eye deficits were not associated with any of these factors, but a temporo-nasal asymmetry for global motion perception in favor of nasalward motion suggested a general disruption in motion perception. Conclusions Deficits in motion-defined form perception are common in children with deprivation amblyopia and may reflect a problem in motion processing that relies on binocular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah E Giaschi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Akosua K Asare
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Reed M Jost
- Pediatric Vision Laboratory, Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Krista R Kelly
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eileen E Birch
- Pediatric Vision Laboratory, Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, Texas, United States
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Lu Y, Zou L, Wang W, Chen R, Qu J, Zhou J. Effects of Monocular Flicker on Binocular Imbalance in Amblyopic and Nonamblyopic Adults. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:33. [PMID: 38530301 PMCID: PMC10982911 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.3.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the effects of monocular flicker stimulation on binocular imbalance in both amblyopic and nonamblyopic adults. Methods Seven amblyopic patients (28.3 ± 3.3 years; four females) and seven normally sighted participants (27.3 ± 4.1 years; five females) participated in the study. We used liquid crystal spectacles to create externally-generated monocular flicker (4, 7, 10, 15, or 20 Hz) and used the metric of log balance point (logBP) to determine whether imposed flicker could change the eyes' equilibrium interocular contrast ratio. Flicker was applied to either the fellow eye vs. the amblyopic eye or dominant eye (DE) vs. non-DE (non-DE) of amblyopic and nonamblyopic participants, respectively. We defined a logBP of 0 to indicate complete binocular balance and an increase in logBP relative to baseline to indicate a relative strengthening of the non-DE or amblyopic eye. Results Monocular flicker applied to the DE or fellow eye increased logBP, whereas when applied to the non-DE or amblyopic eye, reduced the logBP. These effects were more pronounced at low temporal frequencies than that at high temporal frequencies. The interaction between eye and temporal frequency was significant in both normals, F(4, 24) = 58.082, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.906, and amblyopes, F(1.923, 11.538) = 60.555, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.91. Conclusions Monocular flicker diminishes the contribution of the flickered eye in binocular combination, resulting in a relative dominance of the nonflickered eye in interocular interactions. Furthermore, a more pronounced temporally modulated effect was observed at lower temporal frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiu Lu
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liying Zou
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruyin Chen
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jia Qu
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision, and Brain Health), Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Jiang N, Zheng Y, Chen M, Zhou J, Min SH. Binocular balance across spatial frequency in anisomyopia. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1349436. [PMID: 38332861 PMCID: PMC10850230 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1349436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Anisomyopia is prevalent in myopia and studies have reported it exhibits impaired binocular function. We investigated the binocular balance across spatial frequency in adults with anisomyopia and compared it to in individuals with less differences in refractive error, and examined whether ocular characteristics can predict binocular balance in anisomyopia. Methods Fifteen anisomyopes, 15 isomyopes and 12 emmetropes were recruited. Binocular balance was quantitatively measured at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 c/d. The first two groups of the observers were tested with and without optical correction with contact lenses. Emmetropes were tested without optical correction. Results Binocular balance across spatial frequency in optically corrected anisomyopes and isomyopes, as well as emmetropes were found to be similar. Their binocular balance nevertheless still got worse as a function of spatial frequency. However, before optical correction, anisomyopes but not isomyopes showed significant imbalance at higher spatial frequencies. There was a significant correlation between the dependence on spatial frequency of binocular imbalance in uncorrected anisomyopia and interocular difference in visual acuity, and between the dependence and interocular difference in spherical equivalent refraction. Conclusion Anisomyopes had intact binocular balance following correction across spatial frequency compared to those in isomyopes and emmetropes. Their balance was weakly correlated with their refractive status after optical correction. However, their binocular balance before correction and binocular improvement following optical correction were strongly correlated with differences in ocular characteristics between eyes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Seung Hyun Min
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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11
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Gong L, Reynaud A, Hess RF, Zhou J. The Suppressive Basis of Ocular Dominance Changes Induced by Short-Term Monocular Deprivation in Normal and Amblyopic Adults. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:2. [PMID: 37788002 PMCID: PMC10552874 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.13.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose We aimed to study the effect of short-term monocular deprivation on the suppressive interocular interactions in normals and amblyopes by using a dichoptic masking paradigm. Methods Nine adults with anisometropic or mixed amblyopia and 10 control adults participated in our study. The contrast sensitivity in discriminating a target Gabor dichoptically masked was measured before and after 2 hours of monocular deprivation. The mask consisted of bandpass-filtered noise. Both the target and the mask were horizontally oriented at the spatial frequency of 1.31 cpd. Deprivation was achieved using an opaque patch on the amblyopic eye of amblyopes and the dominant eye of controls. Results Results were similar in both controls and amblyopes. After 2 hours of monocular deprivation, the previously patched eye showed a significant increase in contrast sensitivity under dichoptic masking, which also suggested reduced suppressive effect from the nonpatched eye. Meanwhile, the contrast sensitivity of the nonpatched eye remained almost unchanged under dichoptic masking. Conclusions We demonstrate that the ocular dominance changes induced by short-term monocular deprivation-namely, the strengthening of the deprived eye's contribution-are associated with the unilateral and asymmetric changes in suppressive interaction. The suppression from the nondeprived eye is reduced after short-term monocular deprivation. This provides a better understanding of how inverse patching (patching of the amblyopic eye) could, by reducing the suppressive drive from the normally sighted (nondeprived) eye, form the basis of a new treatment for the binocular deficit in amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Alexandre Reynaud
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Robert F. Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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12
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Meier K, Tarczy-Hornoch K, Boynton GM, Fine I. Characterizing amblyopic perception under non-rivalrous viewing conditions. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7993. [PMID: 37198211 PMCID: PMC10189719 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31301-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Current assessments of interocular interactions in amblyopia often use rivalrous stimuli, with conflicting stimuli in each eye, which does not reflect vision under typical circumstances. Here we measure interocular interactions in observers with amblyopia, strabismus with equal vision, and controls using a non-rivalrous stimulus. Observers used a joystick to continuously report the perceived binocular contrast of dichoptic grating stimuli, identical except that the stimulus was contrast-modulated independently in each eye over time. Consistent with previous studies, a model predicting the time-course of perceived contrast found increased amblyopic eye attenuation, and reduced contrast normalization of the fellow eye by the amblyopic eye, in amblyopic participants compared to controls. However, these suppressive interocular effects were weaker than those found in previous studies, suggesting that rivalrous stimuli may overestimate the effects of amblyopia on interocular interactions during naturalistic viewing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Meier
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | | | | | - Ione Fine
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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13
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Lu Y, Zou L, Chen Y, Mao Y, Zhu J, Lin W, Wu D, Chen R, Qu J, Zhou J. Rapid Alternate Flicker Modulates Binocular Interaction in Adults With Abnormal Binocular Vision. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:15. [PMID: 36786740 PMCID: PMC9932553 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.2.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The current understanding of binocular processing is primarily derived from static spatial visual perception: this leaves the role of temporal information unclear. In this study, we addressed this gap by testing the effect of alternating flicker on binocular information processing in adults with abnormal binocular vision. Our goal was to determine which temporal frequency optimally balanced input from both eyes. Methods We took measurements in four groups of human adults: 10 normal adults with the individual's nondominant eye covered by a 2% neutral density filter (aged 25.60 ± 1.43 years, experiment 1), 9 nonamblyopic anisometropes (aged 24.33 ± 1.66 years, experiment 2), 7 amblyopes (aged 26.5 ± 1.64 years, experiment 3), and 7 treated amblyopes (aged 24 ± 3.21 years, experiment 4). The balance point (BP), where participants' two eyes are equally effective, was measured using a binocular orientation combination task at four spatial frequencies (SFs; 0.5-4 c/d) and five temporal frequencies (TFs; baseline and 4, 7, 10, and 15 Hz). Its log transformation |logBP| was taken into further analysis. Results We observed clear U-shaped temporal tuning of the |logBP| for the entire range of TFs (that we measured: trough occurred at 7 Hz). This pattern occurred and was significant in all four groups (P < 0.001). In addition, the effect of SFs on |logBP| was significant in normal, amblyopic, and treated amblyopic groups (all P < 0.001) and was marginally significant in the nonamblyopic anisometropic group (P = 0.086). Conclusions Alternating flicker around 7 Hz may be the optimal temporal frequency for balancing eyes in human adults with binocular imbalance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Liying Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yiya Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yu Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jinli Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wenman Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Dingqiang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ruyin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China,Oujiang Laboratory, Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science and National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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14
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Chen Y, Mao Y, Zhou J, He Z, Hess RF. The shift in sensory eye dominance from short-term monocular deprivation exhibits no dependence on test spatial frequency. EYE AND VISION 2022; 9:32. [PMID: 36045414 PMCID: PMC9434876 DOI: 10.1186/s40662-022-00303-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background Studies have shown that short-term monocular deprivation induces a shift in sensory eye dominance in favor of the deprived eye. Yet, how short-term monocular deprivation modulates sensory eye dominance across spatial frequency is not clear. To address this issue, we conducted a study to investigate the dependence of short-term monocular deprivation effect on test spatial frequency. Methods Ten healthy young adults (age: 24.7 ± 1.7 years, four males) with normal vision participated. We deprived their dominant eye with a translucent patch for 2.5 h. The interocular contrast ratio (dominant eye/non-dominant eye, i.e., the balance point [BP]), which indicates the contribution that the two eyes make to binocular combination, was measured using a binocular orientation combination task. We assessed if BPs at 0.5, 4 or 6 cycles/degree (c/d) change as a result of monocular deprivation. Different test spatial frequency conditions were conducted on three separate days in a random fashion. Results We compared the BPs at 0.5, 4 and 6 c/d before and after monocular deprivation. The BPs were found to be significantly affected by deprivation, where sensory eye dominance shift to the deprived eye (F1.86, 16.76 = 33.09, P < 0.001). The changes of BP were consistent at 0.5, 4, and 6 c/d spatial frequencies (F2,18 = 0.15, P = 0.57). Conclusion The sensory eye dominance plasticity induced by short-term deprivation is not dependent on test spatial frequency, suggesting it could provide a practical solution for amblyopic therapy that was concerned with the binocular outcome. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40662-022-00303-4.
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Tao Z, Deng H, Chu H, Wiederhold M, Wiederhold B, Zhong H, Kang Z, Zhao J, Xiong M, Zhu M, Lin Z, Wang J. Exploring the Relationship Between Binocular Imbalance and Myopia: Refraction with a Virtual Reality Platform. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2022; 25:672-677. [PMID: 35914075 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2022.0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
To explore the relationship between binocular imbalance (BI) and the abnormal development of binocular refraction. BI data were collected by enrolling the first 1,000 adolescents and children aged 6-18 years in Shenzhen Eye Hospital from April 2020 to January 2021. In this cross-sectional study, the imbalance value (IV) did not show a statistical correlation with the spherical equivalent (SE) (oculus dexter [OD]: r = 0.022, p = 0.586; oculus sinister [OS]: r = -0.021, p = 0.606), and had little correlation with the uncorrected visual acuity (VA) (OD: r = -0.084, p = 0.039; OS: r = -0.034, p = 0.408). The proportion of binocular contrast imbalance (BCI) (the absolute value) maintained the highest level (from 54.42 to 79.17 percent) with the increase of bilateral SE difference in the four subcategories (binocular balance, monocular suppression, binocular rivalry, and BCI). From -100 to +100 of IV, the SE of the left eye tends to increase negatively when compared with the right eye (from -95 < IV ≦ -80, SE difference = -0.83 ± 1.58, to -20 < IV ≦ -10, SE difference = -0.14 ± 0.61; from 10 ≦ IV <20, SE difference = -0.05 ± 0.80, to 80 ≦ IV <95, SE difference = 1.48 ± 2.77). BI widely exists within the general pediatric population. The BI did not show significant correlation with the unilateral eye refractive state and the VA. However, the BI may be accompanied by imbalanced development of the eye refractive system. Furthermore, the SE of the dominant eye (from the prospective of BI) tends to be more negative than that of the opposite eye as the value increases. Clinical Trial Registration number: ChiCTR2100045457.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyang Tao
- Department of Strabismus & Pediatric Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen University of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongwei Deng
- Department of Strabismus & Pediatric Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen University of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hang Chu
- National Engineering Research Center for Healthcare Devices, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mark Wiederhold
- Virtual Reality Medical Center, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Brenda Wiederhold
- Virtual Reality Medical Center, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Huahong Zhong
- Department of Strabismus & Pediatric Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen University of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zefeng Kang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, China
| | - Mei Xiong
- Department of Strabismus & Pediatric Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen University of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Minjuan Zhu
- Department of Strabismus & Pediatric Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen University of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhihong Lin
- Department of Strabismus & Pediatric Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen University of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- Department of Strabismus & Pediatric Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen University of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
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16
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Zhu B, Liao M, Liu L. Measuring the impact of suppression on visual acuity in children with amblyopia using a dichoptic visual acuity chart. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:860620. [PMID: 35911993 PMCID: PMC9334724 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.860620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PurposeTo develop a novel dichoptic visual acuity chart that measures the impact of interocular suppression on the visual acuity of each eye when two eyes are open.MethodsFifty-four subjects (19 anisometropic amblyopia, 20 treated amblyopia, and 15 normal children) participated in this study. The visual acuity that was tested under dichoptic-optotypes condition (i.e., presented optotypes to the untested eye) was compared with that under monocular condition (i.e., cover the untested eye with opaque patch). Visual acuity differences between these two conditions were compared among the three groups. The correlations between visual acuity differences and the depth of interocular suppression were then computed. Some participants performed the visual acuity test under dichoptic-luminance condition (i.e., presented mean luminance to the untested eye), and the test-retest reliability was established.ResultsA reduced visual acuity of the non-dominant eye was found in the dichoptic-optotypes condition for the amblyopia group (P < 0.001) and the treated group (P = 0.001); the difference in the treated group was less than that in the amblyopia group (P < 0.001) but more than that in the normal group (P = 0.026). A significant correlation was found between the visual acuity differences and the depth of suppression, which was tested with a binocular phase combination task (P = 0.005). No change was found in the dichoptic-luminance condition.ConclusionThe amblyopic eye and the previous amblyopic eye seem to suffer from a reduced visual acuity when two eyes are open due to suppression. This was successfully captured by our novel and reliable dichoptic-optotypes visual acuity chart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bixia Zhu
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meng Liao
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Longqian Liu
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Longqian Liu,
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17
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Min SH, Mao Y, Chen S, Hess RF, Zhou J. Modulation of mean luminance improves binocular balance across spatial frequencies in amblyopia. iScience 2022; 25:104598. [PMID: 35789838 PMCID: PMC9249912 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amblyopia is a visual impairment that perturbs binocular balance at high spatial frequencies in favor of the fellow eye. Studies reveal that amblyopes who had been treated with monocular therapies still show imbalance. Binocular balance is achieved when both eyes’ inputs are weighed equally. A reduced light can diminish the dimmed eye's weight in binocular combination. In this study, we examined if binocular balance across spatial frequencies could be improved by reducing the luminance of the fellow eye in adult amblyopes. By doing so, we relieved their binocular imbalance across spatial frequencies. Also, normal observers showed amblyopic binocular imbalance when the dominant eye’s light level was dimmed. Therefore, reducing the luminance in the unaffected eye in amblyopia mitigated the binocular imbalance, whereas doing so in normal adults simulated the amblyopic imbalance across spatial frequencies. Binocular balance is impaired in amblyopia Reduced luminance of the fellow eye can improve it across spatial frequencies in amblyopia Reduced luminance of one eye from normal observers simulates amblyopic imbalance
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Hyun Min
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yu Mao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shijia Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Robert F. Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Corresponding author
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18
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Fixation instability, astigmatism, and lack of stereopsis as factors impeding recovery of binocular balance in amblyopia following binocular therapy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10311. [PMID: 35725590 PMCID: PMC9209502 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13947-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Dichoptic therapy is a promising method for improving vision in pediatric and adult patients with amblyopia. However, a systematic understanding about changes in specific visual functions and substantial variation of effect among patients is lacking. Utilizing a novel stereoscopic augmented-reality based training program, 24 pediatric and 18 adult patients were trained for 20 h along a three-month time course with a one-month post-training follow-up for pediatric patients. Changes in stereopsis, distance and near visual acuity, and contrast sensitivity for amblyopic and fellow eyes were measured, and interocular differences were analyzed. To reveal what contributes to successful dichoptic therapy, ANCOVA models were used to analyze progress, considering clinical baseline parameters as covariates that are potential requirements for amblyopic recovery. Significant and lasting improvements have been achieved in stereoacuity, interocular near visual acuity, and interocular contrast sensitivity. Importantly, astigmatism, fixation instability, and lack of stereopsis were major limiting factors for visual acuity, stereoacuity, and contrast sensitivity recovery, respectively. The results demonstrate the feasibility of treatment-efficacy prediction in certain aspects of dichoptic amblyopia therapy. Furthermore, our findings may aid in developing personalized therapeutic protocols, capable of considering individual clinical status, to help clinicians in tailoring therapy to patient profiles for better outcome.
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19
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Gong L, Wei L, Yu X, Reynaud A, Hess RF, Zhou J. The Orientation Selectivity of Dichoptic Masking Suppression is Contrast Dependent in Amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:9. [PMID: 35675061 PMCID: PMC9187942 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.6.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose We aimed to study the effect of stimulus contrast on the orientation selectivity of interocular interaction in amblyopia using a dichoptic masking paradigm. Methods Eight adults with anisometropic or mixed amblyopia and 10 control adults participated in our study. The contrast threshold in discriminating a target Gabor in the tested eye was measured with mean luminance in the untested eye, as well as with a bandpass oriented filtered noise in the other eye at low spatial frequency (0.25 c/d). Threshold elevation, which represents interocular suppression, was assessed using a the dichoptic masking paradigm (i.e. the contrast threshold difference between the target only and masked conditions), for each eye. Orientation selectivity of the interocular suppression as reflected by dichoptic masking was quantified by the difference between the parallel and orthogonal masking configurations. Two levels of mask's contrast (3 times or 10 times that of an individual's contrast threshold) were tested in this study. Results The strength of dichoptic masking suppression was stronger at high, rather than low mask contrast in both amblyopic and control subjects. Normal controls showed orientation-dependent dichoptic masking suppression both under high and low contrast levels. However, amblyopes showed orientation-tuned dichoptic masking suppression only under the high contrast level, but untuned under the low contrast level. Conclusions We demonstrate that interocular suppression assessed by dichoptic masking is contrast-dependent in amblyopia, being orientation-tuned only at high suprathreshold contrast levels of the mask.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Gong
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lili Wei
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xi Yu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Alexandre Reynaud
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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20
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Dahlmann-Noor AH, Greenwood JA, Skilton A, Baker D, Ludden S, Davis A, Dehbi HM, Dakin SC. Phase 2a randomised controlled feasibility trial of a new 'balanced binocular viewing' treatment for unilateral amblyopia in children age 3-8 years: trial protocol. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e051423. [PMID: 35613759 PMCID: PMC9131062 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Treatments for amblyopia, the most common vision deficit in children, often have suboptimal results. Occlusion/atropine blurring are fraught with poor adherence, regression and recurrence. These interventions target only the amblyopic eye, failing to address imbalances of cortical input from the two eyes ('suppression'). Dichoptic treatments manipulate binocular visual experience to rebalance input. Poor adherence in early trials of dichoptic therapies inspired our development of balanced binocular viewing (BBV), using movies as child-friendly viewable content. Small observational studies indicate good adherence and efficacy. A feasibility trial is needed to further test safety and gather information to design a full trial. METHODS/ANALYSIS We will carry out an observer-masked parallel-group phase 2a feasibility randomised controlled trial at two sites, randomising 44 children aged 3-8 years with unilateral amblyopia to either BBV or standard occlusion/atropine blurring, with 1:1 allocation ratio. We will assess visual function at baseline, 8 and 16 weeks. The primary outcome is intervention safety at 16 weeks, measured as change in interocular suppression, considered to precede the onset of potential diplopia. Secondary outcomes include safety at other time points, eligibility, recruitment/retention rates, adherence, clinical outcomes. We will summarise baseline characteristics for each group and assess the treatment effect using analysis of covariance. We will compare continuous clinical secondary endpoints between arms using linear mixed effect models, and report feasibility endpoints using descriptive statistics. ETHICS/DISSEMINATION This trial has been approved by the London-Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee (18/LO/1204), National Health Service Health Research Authority and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. A lay advisory group will be involved with advising on and disseminating the results to non-professional audiences, including on websites of funder/participating institutions and inputting on healthcare professional audience children would like us to reach. Reporting to clinicians and scientists will be via internal and external meetings/conferences and peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03754153.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annegret Hella Dahlmann-Noor
- Children's Clinical Trials Unit, NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
- Children's Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Andrew Skilton
- National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre, London, UK
| | - Daniel Baker
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Siobhan Ludden
- Children's Clinical Trials Unit, NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
- Orthoptics, HSE Grangegorman Eye Clinic, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Amanda Davis
- Research and Development, NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | | | - Steven C Dakin
- School of Optometry, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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21
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Min SH, Mao Y, Chen S, He Z, Hess RF, Zhou J. A clinically convenient test to measure binocular balance across spatial frequency in amblyopia. iScience 2022; 25:103652. [PMID: 35024586 PMCID: PMC8733258 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Amblyopia is a visual disorder that originates from the brain. It exhibits no pathology in the eye. Studies have shown that measuring both visual acuity and binocular balance for assessing amblyopia could be more helpful. However, tests that measure binocular balance are time-consuming, often exceeding 30 min. Their long test durations prevent them from being used in the clinic. For this reason, we have developed a quick (i.e., about 7 min) and precise tool that quantitatively measures binocular balance of patients with amblyopia. The new test can capture binocular imbalance that is typically exhibited at high spatial frequency in amblyopes. In addition, it has an excellent test-retest reliability and repeatability between two experimental sessions. We hope that our newly developed test can pave the road for physicians and researchers to better assess and diagnose amblyopia and other visual disorders that disrupt binocular balance beyond the laboratory. Measuring binocular balance of amblyopes is difficult and time-consuming (>30 min) We introduce a psychophysical test that is reliable and quick (7 min)
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Hyun Min
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Yu Mao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shijia Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhifen He
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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22
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Chow A, Silva AE, Tsang K, Ng G, Ho C, Thompson B. Binocular Integration of Perceptually Suppressed Visual Information in Amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 62:11. [PMID: 34515731 PMCID: PMC8444466 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.62.12.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess whether motion information from suppressed amblyopic eyes can influence visual perception. Methods Participants with normal vision (n = 20) and with amblyopia (n = 20; 11 anisometropic and 9 strabismic/mixed) viewed dichoptic, orthogonal drifting gratings through a mirror stereoscope. Participants continuously reported form and motion percepts as gratings rivaled for 60 seconds. Responses were binned into categories ranging from binocular integration to complete suppression. Periods when the grating presented to the nondominant/amblyopic eye was suppressed were analyzed further to determine the extent of binocular integration of motion. Results Individuals with amblyopia experienced longer periods of non-preferred eye suppression than controls. When the non-preferred eye grating was suppressed, binocular integration of motion occurred 48.1 ± 6.2% and 31.2 ± 5.8% of the time in control and amblyopic participants, respectively. Periods of motion integration from the suppressed eye were significantly non-zero for both groups. Conclusions Visual information seen only by a suppressed amblyopic eye can be binocularly integrated and influence the overall visual percept. These findings reveal that visual information subjected to interocular suppression can still contribute to binocular vision and suggest the use of appropriate optical correction for the amblyopic eye to improve image quality for binocular combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Chow
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew E. Silva
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katelyn Tsang
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gabriel Ng
- Mount Pleasant Optometry Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cindy Ho
- Mount Pleasant Optometry Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Benjamin Thompson
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Center for Eye and Vision Research, 17W Science Park, Hong Kong
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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23
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Lew WH, Stevenson SB, Coates DR. Stimulus dependence of interocular suppression. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9309. [PMID: 33927294 PMCID: PMC8085212 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88701-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Interocular suppression is the phenomenon in which the signal from one eye inhibits the other eye in the presence of dissimilar images. Various clinical and laboratory-based tests have been used to assess suppression, which vary in color, contrast, and stimulus size. These stimulus variations may yield different spatial extents of suppression, which makes it difficult to compare the outcomes. To evaluate the role of stimulus characteristics, we measured the suppression zone using a binocular rivalry paradigm in normally-sighted observers by systematically varying the stimulus parameters. The stimuli consist of a constantly visible horizontal reference seen by one eye while two vertical suppressors were presented to the other eye. With a keypress, the suppressors appeared for 1 s, to induce a transient suppression zone in the middle part of the reference. Subjects adjusted the width between the suppressors to determine the zone. The zone decreased significantly with increasing spatial frequency and lower contrast. The width was 1.4 times larger than the height. The zone was smaller with negative compared to positive contrast polarity but independent of eye dominance, luminance, and colored filters. A departure from scale invariance was captured with a model suggesting a stimulus-dependent and a small fixed non-stimulus-dependent portion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hau Lew
- University of Houston College of Optometry, 4901 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX, 77004, USA.
| | - Scott B Stevenson
- University of Houston College of Optometry, 4901 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX, 77004, USA
| | - Daniel R Coates
- University of Houston College of Optometry, 4901 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX, 77004, USA
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24
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Marella BL, Conway ML, Suttle C, Bharadwaj SR. Contrast Rivalry Paradigm Reveals Suppression of Monocular Input in Keratoconus. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 62:15. [PMID: 33570601 PMCID: PMC7884294 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.62.2.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Keratoconus results in image quality loss in one or both eyes due to increased corneal distortion. This study quantified the depth of monocular suppression in keratoconus due to this image quality loss using a binocular contrast rivalry paradigm. Methods Contrast rivalry was induced in 50 keratoconic cases (11–31 years) and 12 age-matched controls by dichoptically viewing orthogonal Gabor patches of 5 cycles per degree (cpd) and 1.5 cpd spatial frequency for 120 seconds with their best-corrected spectacles and rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses. The dwell time on each eye's percept was determined at baseline (100% contrast bilaterally) and at varying contrast levels (80–2.5%) in the stronger eye of keratoconus or dominant eye of controls. The contrast reduction needed in the stronger eye to balance dwell times on both eyes was considered a measure of suppression depth. Results At baseline with 5 cpd stimuli and spectacle correction, the rivalry switches were less frequent and biased toward the stronger eye of cases, all relative to controls (P < 0.001). The contrast balance point of cases (20.51% [10.7–61%]) was lower than the controls (99.80% [98.6–100%]; P < 0.001) and strongly associated with the overall and interocular difference in disease severity (r = 0.83, P < 0.001). The suppression depth reduced for 1.5 cpd (70.8% [21.7–94%]), relative to 5 cpd stimulus (P < 0.001) and with contact lenses (80.1% [49.5–91.7%]), relative to spectacles (P < 0.001). Conclusions The eye with lesser disease severity dominates binocular viewing in keratoconus. The suppression depth of the poorer eye depends on the extent of bilateral disease severity, optical correction modality, and the target spatial frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhagya Lakshmi Marella
- Brien Holden Institute of Optometry and Vision Sciences, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.,Prof. Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.,School of Health Sciences, Division of Optometry and Visual Sciences, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Miriam L Conway
- School of Health Sciences, Division of Optometry and Visual Sciences, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Suttle
- School of Health Sciences, Division of Optometry and Visual Sciences, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shrikant R Bharadwaj
- Brien Holden Institute of Optometry and Vision Sciences, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.,Prof. Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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25
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Webber AL, Schmid KL, Baldwin AS, Hess RF. Suppression Rather Than Visual Acuity Loss Limits Stereoacuity in Amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 61:50. [PMID: 32579677 PMCID: PMC7419721 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.6.50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate the influence of interocular suppression and visual acuity loss on stereoacuity in observers with and without abnormal vision development from strabismus or amblyopia. To determine whether stereoacuity improves in amblyopic observers when suppression is neutralized. Methods Experiment 1: Visual acuity (VA), depth of suppression (contrast ratio [CR]), and stereoacuity (digital random-dot) were tested in adult amblyopic observers (n = 21; age 27 ± 11 years). Experiment 2: VA, stereoacuity, and CR were measured at baseline and through a series of monocular contrast attenuation and Bangerter filter conditions that degrade visual input in participants with normal binocular vision (n = 19; age 31 ± 13 years). Multiple regression models were used to determine relative contribution of VA and CR to stereoacuity in both groups. Experiment 3: stereoacuity was retested in a subsample of amblyopic observers (n = 7) after contrast reduction of the stimulus presented to dominant eye to neutralize suppression. Results In amblyopic observers, stereoacuity significantly correlated with CR (P < 0.001), but not with interocular VA difference (P = 0.863). In participants with normal vision development, stereoacuity, VA, and CR declined with introduction of monocular Bangerter filter (P < 0.001), and stereoacuity reduced with monocular attenuation of stimulus contrast (P < 0.001). Reduction in stereoacuity correlated with both VA decrement and degraded CR. Stereoacuity significantly improved in amblyopic observers when the contrast to the dominant eye was adjusted based on the contrast ratio. Conclusions Suppression rather than visual acuity loss limits stereoacuity in observers with abnormal vision development. Stereopsis can be improved when interocular sensory dominance is neutralized.
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26
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Gong L, Reynaud A, Wang Z, Cao S, Lu F, Qu J, Hess RF, Zhou J. Interocular Suppression as Revealed by Dichoptic Masking Is Orientation-Dependent and Imbalanced in Amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:28. [PMID: 33369637 PMCID: PMC7774058 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.14.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose We investigate the orientation tuning of interocular suppression using a dichoptic masking paradigm in adult controls and amblyopes. Methods Fourteen adults with anisometropic or mixed amblyopia and 10 control adults participated in our study. Contrast sensitivity was measured by presenting a target Gabor in the tested eye and mean luminance in the untested eye (monocular) and by presenting a target in the tested eye and a bandpass oriented filtered noise in the other eye (masked). Interocular suppression was defined as the thresholds difference between the monocular and masked conditions for each eye. Interocular suppression was measured under parallel and orthogonal suppression configurations. The peak spatial frequency of the target and mask was 0.25 c/d in experiment 1 (low), 1.31 c/d in experiment 2 (mid), and 6.87 c/d in experiment 3 (high). Results The masking suppression induced by the amblyopic eye was less strong than that induced by the fellow eye. The suppression from the fellow eye was similar to that observed in the controls. Interocular suppression under parallel configuration was less strong than under orthogonal configuration in amblyopes at low and mid spatial frequency, but not at high spatial frequency. Conclusions We demonstrate that the abnormal interocular masking in amblyopia displays the expected characteristic of orientation selectivity expected of normal controls at low and mid spatial frequency, but not at high spatial frequency. The dichoptic masking imbalance between the eyes of amblyopes results in a net suppression of the amblyopic eye during binocular viewing, modeling clinical suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Gong
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Alexandre Reynaud
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Zili Wang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Suqi Cao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fan Lu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jia Qu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Affiliated Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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27
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South J, Gao T, Collins A, Lee A, Turuwhenua J, Black J. Clinical Aniseikonia in Anisometropia and Amblyopia. Br Ir Orthopt J 2020; 16:44-54. [PMID: 34278210 PMCID: PMC8269785 DOI: 10.22599/bioj.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Clinically, aniseikonia (a perceived difference in shape and image size between the eyes) is often neglected in anisometropic amblyopia due to assumed measurement difficulties. Therefore, we currently lack evidence on whether correction of aniseikonia is beneficial. This study aimed to determine whether subjective aniseikonia is measurable in anisometropia with or without amblyopia. Methods: Participants (15–52 years) with Anisometropic Amblyopia (n = 7), Anisometropia without amblyopia (n = 6) and Isometropic Controls (n = 6) were recruited. Subjective aniseikonia was measured using three clinical techniques: Robertson Technique (RT) (penlight and Maddox rod), Aniseikonia Inspector Version 3 (AI3), and the New Aniseikonia Test booklet (NAT), and a psychophysical adaptive method, the Contrast-balanced Aniseikonia Test (CAT), where dichoptic contrast adjustments compensate for any suppression. Results: Eighteen participants completed all tests, one Anisometropic Amblyopia participant could only complete the CAT and NAT due to fusion loss. The Anisometropic Amblyopia group exhibited the most aniseikonia (range –1.50–+10.50%) followed by Anisometropic Controls (range –3.30–+4.50%) and Isometropic Controls (range –1.50–+3.28%). There was a significant trend of more subjective aniseikonia with increasing amounts of anisometropia across all four tests (AI3 r = 0.630, p = 0.005; NAT r = 0.542, p = 0.017; RT r = 0.499, p = 0.035; CAT r = 0.440, p = 0.059. Bland Altman analysis demonstrated clinically significant levels of variability between the tests. Conclusions: Subjective aniseikonia can be reliably measured in patients with anisometropia and suppression. Subjective aniseikonia measurement is recommended as four of the most commonly used clinical tests did not support the 1% per dioptre rule of thumb.
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28
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A dichoptic feedback-based oculomotor training method to manipulate interocular alignment. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15634. [PMID: 32973252 PMCID: PMC7515870 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72561-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Strabismus is a prevalent impairment of binocular alignment that is associated with a spectrum of perceptual deficits and social disadvantages. Current treatments for strabismus involve ocular alignment through surgical or optical methods and may include vision therapy exercises. In the present study, we explore the potential of real-time dichoptic visual feedback that may be used to quantify and manipulate interocular alignment. A gaze-contingent ring was presented independently to each eye of 11 normally-sighted observers as they fixated a target dot presented only to their dominant eye. Their task was to center the rings within 2° of the target for at least 1 s, with feedback provided by the sizes of the rings. By offsetting the ring in the non-dominant eye temporally or nasally, this task required convergence or divergence, respectively, of the non-dominant eye. Eight of 11 observers attained 5° asymmetric convergence and 3 of 11 attained 3° asymmetric divergence. The results suggest that real-time gaze-contingent feedback may be used to quantify and transiently simulate strabismus and holds promise as a method to augment existing therapies for oculomotor alignment disorders.
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29
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Barboni MTS, Maneschg OA, Németh J, Nagy ZZ, Vidnyánszky Z, Bankó ÉM. Dichoptic Spatial Contrast Sensitivity Reflects Binocular Balance in Normal and Stereoanomalous Subjects. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:23. [PMID: 32931571 PMCID: PMC7500129 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.11.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To study binocular balance by comparing dichoptic and standard monocular contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in stereonormal and stereoanomalous/stereoblind amblyopic subjects. Methods Sixteen amblyopes and 17 controls participated. Using the capability of the passive three-dimensional display, we measured their CSF both monocularly and dichoptically at spatial frequencies 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 cpds using achromatic Gabor patches on a luminance noise background. During monocular stimulation, the untested eye was covered, while for the dichoptic stimulation the untested eye viewed background noise. Dichoptic CSF of both eyes was acquired within one block. Results In patients with central fixation, dichoptic viewing had a large negative impact on the CSF of the amblyopic eye, although it hardly affected that of the dominant eye. In contrast, dichoptic viewing had a small but significant effect on both eyes for controls. In addition, all participants lay along a continuum in terms of how much their two eyes were affected by dichoptic stimulation: by using two predefined contrast sensitivity ratios, namely, amblyopic sensitivity decrement and dichoptic sensitivity decrement, not only did we find a significant correlation between these variables among all participants, but also the two groups were identified with minimum error using a cluster analysis. Conclusions Dichoptic CSF may be considered to measure visual performance in patients with altered binocular vision, because it better reflects the visual capacity of the amblyopic eye than the standard monocular examinations. It may also be a more reliable parameter to assess the efficacy of modern approaches to treat amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Otto Alexander Maneschg
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Bionic Innovation Center, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Németh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Bionic Innovation Center, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Zsolt Nagy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Vidnyánszky
- Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva M. Bankó
- Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
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30
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Martín S, Portela JA, Ding J, Ibarrondo O, Levi DM. Evaluation of a Virtual Reality implementation of a binocular imbalance test. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238047. [PMID: 32822405 PMCID: PMC7446887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was (1) to implement a test for binocular imbalance in a Virtual Reality headset, (2) to assess its testability, reliability and outcomes in a population of clinical patients and (3) to evaluate the relationships of interocular acuity difference, stereoacuity and binocular imbalance to amblyogenic risk factors. 100 volunteers (6 to 70 years old, mean 21.2 ± 16.2), 21 with no amblyogenic risk factors and 79 with amblyopia or a history of amblyopia participated. Participants were classified by amblyogenic risk factor (24 anisometropic, 25 strabismic and 30 mixed) and, for those with strabismus, also by refractive response (16 accommodative and 39 non-accommodative). We characterized our sample using three variables, called the ‘triplet’ henceforth: interocular acuity difference, stereoacuity and imbalance factor. Binocular imbalance showed high test-retest reliability (no significant difference between test and retest in a subgroup, n = 20, p = 0.831); was correlated with Worth 4 dots test (r = 0.538, p<0.0001); and correlated with both interocular acuity difference (r = 0.575, p<0.0001) and stereoacuity (r = 0.675, p<0.0001). The mean values of each variable of the triplet differed depending on group classification. Mixed and non-accommodative groups showed the worst mean values compared with the other groups. Among participants with strabismus, strabismic vs mixed subgroups did not show significant differences in any variable of the triplet, whereas the accommodative vs non-accommodative subgroups showed significant differences in all of them. According to a univariate logistic model, any variable of the triplet provides a good metric for differentiating patients from controls, except for binocular imbalance for anisometropic subgroup. The proposed binocular imbalance test is feasible and reliable. We recommend monitoring amblyopia clinically not only considering visual acuity, but also stereoacuity and interocular imbalance. Stereoacuity on its own fails because of the high percentage of patients with no measurable stereoacuity. Binocular imbalance may help to fill that gap.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jian Ding
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Dennis M. Levi
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
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31
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Measuring Virtual Reality Headset Resolution and Field of View: Implications for Vision Care Applications. Optom Vis Sci 2020; 97:573-582. [PMID: 32769841 DOI: 10.1097/opx.0000000000001541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE To judge the feasibility of virtual reality (VR) headsets for vision testing and treatment of binocular vision disorders and low vision, angular resolution (logMAR) and field of view must be known and may not be reliably provided. This is the first study to measure the limitations of VR systems for eye care applications. PURPOSE This study aimed to measure, in a sample of VR headsets, eye-to-screen distance and other physical and optical characteristics needed to calculate minimum angular resolution in logMAR and field of view in determining feasibility for vision applications. METHODS Eye-to-screen distance was measured, and logMAR, field of view, and maximum convergence demand were calculated for two standalone VR devices, Oculus Rift DK2 and HTC Vive, and, for four smartphone VR headsets, Zeiss VR1, Samsung Gear VR, VR Box, and SunnyPeak, each paired with four high-resolution smartphones, Samsung Galaxy S7/S8, iPhone X, and LG VR30. RESULTS On average, the smallest letter that could be displayed in VR was 0.41 ± 0.09 (20/51), ranging from 0.59 (20/78) in the DK2 to 0.28 (20/39) in VR Box with S7. Mean field of view was 50.2 ± 4.8°, ranging from 39.6° in the VR Box with S7 to 55° in the HTC Vive. The mean field of view when used as a low vision aid was 23.0° and 12.7° for 2.2× and 4×, respectively. The mean maximum near convergence demand produced for a 60-mm interpupillary distance was 38.6 ± 10.1Δ. CONCLUSIONS The minimum angular resolution in logMAR of current VR technology is insufficient for visual acuity testing and may be insufficient for standalone treatment of amblyopia. Field of view during movie watching or gaming is about half that reported by manufacturers but adequate for some types of visual field testing. Use for vergence testing and training is a concern for headsets with long eye-to-screen distance or interpupillary distances <60 mm.
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32
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Walter K, Taveras-Cruz Y, Bex P. Transfer and retention of oculomotor alignment rehabilitation training. J Vis 2020; 20:9. [PMID: 32761109 PMCID: PMC7438636 DOI: 10.1167/jov.20.8.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocular alignment defects such as strabismus affect around 5% of people and are associated with binocular vision impairments. Current nonsurgical treatments are controversial and have high levels of recidivism. In this study, we developed a rehabilitation method for ocular alignment training and examined the rate of learning, transfer to untrained alignments, and retention over time. Ocular alignment was controlled with a real-time dichoptic feedback paradigm where a static fixation target and white gaze-contingent ring were presented to the dominant eye and a black gaze-contingent ring with no fixation target was presented to the nondominant eye. Observers were required to move their eyes to center the rings on the target, with real-time feedback provided by the size of the rings. Offsetting the ring of the nondominant temporal or nasal visual field required convergent or divergent ocular deviation, respectively, to center the ring on the fixation target. Learning was quantified as the time taken to achieve target deviation of 2° (easy, E) or 4° (hard, H) for convergence (CE, CH) or divergence (DE, DH) over 40 trials. Thirty-two normally sighted observers completed two training sequences separated by one week. Subjects were randomly assigned to a training sequence: CE-CH-DE, CH-CE-DE, DE-DH-CE, or DH-DE-CE. The results showed that training was retained over the course of approximately one week across all conditions. Training on an easy deviation angle transferred to untrained hard angles within convergence or divergence but not between these directions. We conclude that oculomotor alignment can be rapidly trained, retained, and transferred with a feedback-based dichoptic paradigm. Feedback-based oculomotor training may therefore provide a noninvasive method for the rehabilitation of ocular alignment defects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter Bex
- Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
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33
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Wu Y, Reynaud A, Tao C, Mao Y, He Z, Zhou J, Hess RF. Two Patterns of Interocular Delay Revealed by Spontaneous Motion-in-Depth Pulfrich Phenomenon in Amblyopes with Stereopsis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:22. [PMID: 32181800 PMCID: PMC7401735 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.3.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess interocular delays in amblyopes with stereopsis and to evaluate the relationship between interocular delays and the clinical characteristics. Methods Twenty amblyopes with stereopsis (median, 400 arcseconds) and 20 controls with normal or corrected to normal visual acuity (≤0 logMAR) and normal stereopsis (≤60 arcseconds) participated. Using a rotating cylinder defined by horizontally moving Gabor patches, we produced a spontaneous Pulfrich phenomenon in order to determine the interocular delays, that is, the interocular phase difference at which ambiguous motion in plane was perceived. Two spatial frequencies—a low (0.95 cycles/degree [c/d]) and a medium (2.85 c/d) spatial frequency—were tested. Results The absolute interocular delays of the amblyopic group was significantly longer than that of the controls at both low or medium spatial frequencies (P < 0.01). However, the interocular delays was not always in favor of the fellow eye: 35% of the amblyopes (7/20) showed a faster processing of the amblyopic eye than that of the fellow eye at 0.95 c/d and 29.5% (5/17) at 2.85 c/d. No significant correlation was found between interocular delays and the clinical characteristics (e.g., age, treatment history, stereoacuity, and magnitude of anisometropia) in this amblyopic cohort. Conclusions The interocular delays in amblyopes with stereopsis might result from either a faster or slower processing of the amblyopic eye relative to the fellow eye. This work provides important additional information for binocular processing of dynamic visual stimuli in amblyopia. However, the special role between this form of interocular delays and patients’ clinical characteristics remains unknown.
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Mao Y, Min SH, Chen S, Gong L, Chen H, Hess RF, Zhou J. Binocular Imbalance in Amblyopia Depends on Spatial Frequency in Binocular Combination. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:7. [PMID: 32634205 PMCID: PMC7425706 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.8.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess the role of spatial frequency on binocular imbalance in binocular combination in adults with amblyopia. Methods Ten amblyopes (23 ± 4.9 [SD] years old; one deprivation, two mixed, seven anisometropia patients) and 10 age-matched normal adults (23 ± 2.3 years old) participated. The interocular contrast ratio (fellow eye/amblyopic eye, i.e., the balance point [BP]) that resulted in an equal contribution of both eyes in binocular combination was measured using a binocular orientation combination task at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 cycles per degree (c/d). The extent of binocular imbalance was quantified as the absolute value of the BP on log scale (i.e., |logBP|). Results When the base contrast of the amblyopic eye was set at 100% (Experiment 1), the |logBP| was found to be significantly affected by stimulus spatial frequency (F(1.44, 26.01) = 51.6, P < 0.001, ηg2= 0.40) and group (F(1, 18) = 66.97, P < 0.001, ηg2 = 0.74), the interaction between spatial frequency and group was also significant (F(1.44, 26.01) = 38.12, P < 0.001, ηg2= 0.33). Such spatial frequency–dependent binocular imbalance remained present, even when the base contrast of the amblyopic eye was set at equal suprathreshold contrast levels across spatial frequencies (Experiment 2). Conclusions Binocular balance was more disrupted at higher spatial frequencies in binocular combination in amblyopia. This imbalance might not originate solely from the amblyopic eye's deficit in contrast sensitivity but is likely to be related to the difference in contrast sensitivity between the eyes.
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The Dominant Eye: Dominant for Parvo- But Not for Magno-Biased Stimuli? Vision (Basel) 2020; 4:vision4010019. [PMID: 32178302 PMCID: PMC7157744 DOI: 10.3390/vision4010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Eye dominance is often defined as a preference for the visual input of one eye to the other. Implicit in this definition is the dominant eye has better visual function. Several studies have investigated the effect of visual direction or defocus on ocular dominance, but there is less evidence connecting ocular dominance and monocular visual thresholds. We used the classic “hole in card” method to determine the dominant eye for 28 adult observers (11 males and 17 females). We then compared contrast thresholds between the dominant and non-dominant eyes using grating stimuli biased to be processed more strongly either by the magnocellular (MC) or parvocellular (PC) pathway. Using non-parametric mean rank tests, the dominant eye was more sensitive overall than the non-dominant eye to both stimuli (z = −2.54, p = 0.01). The dominant eye was also more sensitive to the PC-biased stimulus (z = −2.22, p = 0.03) but not the MC-biased stimulus (z = −1.16, p = 0.25). We discuss the clinical relevance of these results as well as the implications for parallel visual pathways.
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Webber AL, Mandall TR, Molloy DT, Lister LJ, Birch EE. Worth 4 Dot App for Determining Size and Depth of Suppression. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:9. [PMID: 32818097 PMCID: PMC7396169 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.4.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To describe and evaluate an iOS application suppression test, Worth 4 Dot App (W4DApp), which was designed and developed to assess size and depth of suppression. Methods Characteristics of sensory fusion were evaluated in 25 participants (age 12–69 years) with normal (n = 6) and abnormal (n = 19) binocular vision. Suppression zone size and classification of fusion were determined by W4DApp and by flashlight Worth 4 Dot (W4D) responses from 33 cm to 6 m. Measures of suppression depth were compared between the W4DApp, the flashlight W4D with neutral density filter bar and the dichoptic letters contrast balance index test. Results There was high agreement in classification of fusion between the W4DApp method and that derived from flashlight W4D responses from 33 cm to 6 m (α = 0.817). There were no significant differences in success rates or in reliability between the W4DApp or the flashlight W4D methods for determining suppression zone size. W4DApp suppression zone size strongly correlated to that determined with the flashlight W4D (rho = 0.964, P < 0.001). W4DApp depth of suppression measures showed significantly higher success rates (χ2 = 5.128, P = 0.043) and reliability (intraclass correlation analysis = 0.901) but no significant correlation to the depth of suppression calculated by flashlight W4D and neutral density bar (rho = 0.301, P = 0.399) or contrast balance index (rho = −0.018, P = 0.958). Conclusions The W4DApp has potential clinical benefit in measuring suppression zone size; however, further modifications are required to improve validity of suppression depth measures. Translational Relevance W4DApp iOS application will be a convenient tool for clinical determination of suppression characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann L Webber
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Thomas R Mandall
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Darcy T Molloy
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Lucas J Lister
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Eileen E Birch
- Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, TX, USA.,UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Beylerian M, Hess RF, Matonti F, Denis D, Chavane F, Reynaud A. Interocular suppressive interactions in amblyopia depend on spatial frequency. Vision Res 2020; 168:18-28. [PMID: 32044586 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2019.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In amblyopia, there is an interocular suppressive imbalance that results in the fixing eye dominating perception. In this study, we aimed to determine whether these suppressive interactions were narrowband and tuned for spatial frequency or broadband and independent of spatial frequency. We measured the contrast sensitivity and masking functions of fifteen amblyopic subjects and seventeen control subjects using the quick Contrast Sensitivity Function (qCSF) approach (Lesmes, Lu, Baek, & Albright, 2010). We first measured the monocular sensitivity functions of each participant and thereafter corrected for it. We then measured masking sensitivity functions for low, mid and high spatial frequency masks, normalized to their visibility. In the control group, we observed that the strength of dichoptic masking is equivalent between the two eyes. It is also tuned such that masking by low spatial frequencies in one eye mainly affects low spatial frequencies in the other eye and masking by high spatial frequencies mainly affects high spatial frequencies. In amblyopes, although the interocular masking is also tuned for spatial frequency, it is not equivalent between the two eyes: the masking effect from the amblyopic to fixing eye is weaker than the other way around. The asymmetry observed in the strength of masking between the two eyes in amblyopia is tuned for spatial frequency. It is not the consequence of the contrast sensitivity deficit of the amblyopic eye nor is it the consequence of abnormally strong masking from the fixing eye. Rather it is due to an abnormally weak masking strength by the amblyopic eye per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Beylerian
- Department of Ophthalmology, CHU NORD, Marseille, France; Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), Marseille, France
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Frédéric Matonti
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), Marseille, France; Centre Paradis Monticelli, Marseille, France
| | - Danièle Denis
- Department of Ophthalmology, CHU NORD, Marseille, France; Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), Marseille, France
| | - Frédéric Chavane
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), Marseille, France
| | - Alexandre Reynaud
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Chen Y, He Z, Mao Y, Chen H, Zhou J, Hess RF. Patching and Suppression in Amblyopia: One Mechanism or Two? Front Neurosci 2020; 13:1364. [PMID: 32009874 PMCID: PMC6974542 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To determine if benefits from occlusion therapy are due to decreased suppression from the fellow eye in children with amblyopia. Methods Ten newly diagnosed amblyopes (7.2 ± 1.4 years old), two with strabismus and eight with anisometropia, participated. Patients were first given a 2-month period of refractive adaptation, followed by occlusion therapy (i.e., patching their fellow eye with an opaque patch for 4 h/day). Visual acuity of the amblyopic eye and interocular suppression were measured before and after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 months of occlusion therapy. We quantified interocular suppression with a binocular phase combination task. Results Visual acuity (in logMAR) improved from 0.50 ± 0.22 (mean ± SD) to 0.33 ± 0.20 for patients who finished a short-term (2 months) occlusion (A1–A10), from 0.53 ± 0.20 to 0.32 ± 0.22 for patients who finished a medium-term (4 months) occlusion (A1–A9), and from 0.48 ± 0.19 to 0.22 ± 0.10 for patients who finished a long-term (6 months) occlusion (A1–A8). Although their visual acuity significantly improved, their degree of suppression, which was abnormal in all cases, did not change consistently. This was true in all durations of occlusion therapy. Conclusion Reduced suppression from the fixing eye might not be result from occlusion therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiya Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhifen He
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yu Mao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Hao Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Kim HR, Lee SJ. Comparison of contrast sensitivity based on the surgical results for intermittent exotropia. Int J Ophthalmol 2019; 12:1725-1730. [PMID: 31741861 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2019.11.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To compare contrast sensitivity (CS) based on the surgical results for intermittent exotropia (IXT) and to examine the relationship between CS and photophobia. METHODS Medical records of the patients who underwent bilateral lateral rectus muscle recession for IXT between 4 and 12 years old were reviewed retrospectively. They were categorized based on the surgical results; successful correction group (n=36) and overcorrection group (esotropia ≥10 PD at 3mo postoperatively, n=18). Using CGT-2000 test for CS was performed binocularly, and subjective reports of photophobia was investigated preoperatively and at 3mo postoperatively. Objective photophobia was defined as a significant decrease in CS in the presence of glare. RESULTS Preoperatively, there was no difference in CS between the groups. Postoperatively, under mesopic conditions, significant improvement of CS was observed at 6.3°, 4°, and 2.5° in the successful correction group and at 6.3° and 4° in the overcorrection group, regardless of glare. Under photopic conditions, at all visual angles except 0.64°, improvement in CS was noted in both groups while CS worsened significantly at 0.64° in the overcorrection group postoperatively. At all visual angles under photopic conditions postoperatively, regardless of glare, CS in the overcorrected group was significantly worse than that in the successful correction group, and CS was significantly decreased by addition of glare in both groups. All patients except one (96.4%) in the successful correction group and 8 patients (61.5%) in overcorrection group showed improvement of photophobia postoperatively, which correlated with CS under photopic conditions (P=0.001, 0.03). CONCLUSION After surgery for IXT, CS under photopic conditions improve at all visual angles except 0.64°, while CS is significantly worse in the overcorrection group postoperatively at 0.64°. Subjective photophobia have significant correlation with CS under photopic conditions, and may be used as an objective indicator of photophobia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae Rang Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 612-030, South Korea
| | - Soo Jung Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 612-030, South Korea
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An Unexpected Spontaneous Motion-In-Depth Pulfrich Phenomenon in Amblyopia. Vision (Basel) 2019; 3:vision3040054. [PMID: 31735855 PMCID: PMC6969934 DOI: 10.3390/vision3040054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The binocular viewing of a fronto-parallel pendulum with a reduced luminance in one eye results in the illusory tridimensional percept of the pendulum following an elliptical orbit in depth, the so-called Pulfrich phenomenon. A small percentage of mild anisometropic amblyopes who have rudimentary stereo are known to experience a spontaneous Pulfrich phenomenon, which posits a delay in the cortical processing of information involving their amblyopic eye. The purpose of this study is to characterize this spontaneous Pulfrich phenomenon in the mild amblyopic population. In order to assess this posited delay, we used a paradigm where a cylinder rotating in depth, defined by moving Gabor patches at different disparities (i.e., at different interocular phases), generates a strong to ambiguous depth percept. This paradigm allows one to accurately measure a spontaneous Pulfrich phenomenon and to determine how it depends on the spatio-temporal properties of stimulus. We observed a spontaneous Pulfrich phenomenon in anisometropic, strabismic, and mixed amblyopia, which is posited to be due to an interocular delay associated with amblyopic processing. Surprisingly, the posited delay was not always observed in the amblyopic eye, was not a consequence of the reduced contrast sensitivity of the amblyopic eye, and displayed a large variability across amblyopic observers. Increasing the density, decreasing the spatial frequency, or increasing the speed of the stimulus tended to reduce the observed delay. The spontaneous Pulfrich phenomenon seen by some amblyopes was variable and depended on the spatio-temporal properties of the stimulus. We suggest it could involve two conflicting components: an amblyopic delay and a blur-based acceleration.
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Kosovicheva A, Ferreira A, Vera-Diaz FA, Bex PJ. Effects of temporal frequency on binocular deficits in amblyopia. Vision Res 2019; 163:52-62. [PMID: 31404553 PMCID: PMC6726518 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amblyopia is associated with a range of well-known visual spatial deficits, which include reduced contrast sensitivity, spatial distortions, interocular suppression, and impaired stereopsis. Previous work has also pointed to deficits in processing dynamic visual information, but it is unknown whether these deficits influence performance under binocular conditions. We examined the effects of temporal modulation on contrast sensitivity and binocular interactions in a preliminary study of 8 adults with amblyopia and 14 normally-sighted control subjects. For each observer, we measured interocular balance and stereopsis thresholds with binocular flicker across a range of four temporal (0, 4, 7.5, and 12 Hz) and spatial (1, 2, 4, and 8 cpd) frequencies. Interocular balance was estimated by varying the relative contrast of dichoptic letter pairs to produce perceptual reports of each letter with equal frequency, and stereopsis thresholds were measured by determining the minimum disparity at which subjects identified a front-depth target with 75% accuracy. Consistent with previous findings, we observed greater interocular imbalance and impaired stereoacuity at high spatial frequencies in amblyopes. In contrast, the effects of temporal frequency on performance were smaller: across both groups, interocular imbalance was largest at mid-to-low temporal frequencies, and stereopsis thresholds were unaffected by temporal frequency. Our results suggest that there may be a previously unreported effect of temporal frequency on interocular balance, as well as a possible dissociation between the effects of flicker on interocular balance and stereopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kosovicheva
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 125 Nightingale Hall, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Adriana Ferreira
- New England College of Optometry, 424 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Peter J Bex
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 125 Nightingale Hall, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Contribution of Short-Time Occlusion of the Amblyopic Eye to a Passive Dichoptic Video Treatment for Amblyopia beyond the Critical Period. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:6208414. [PMID: 31558900 PMCID: PMC6735187 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6208414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Dichoptic movie viewing has been shown to significantly improve visual acuity in amblyopia in children. Moreover, short-term occlusion of the amblyopic eye can transiently increase its contribution to binocular fusion in adults. In this study, we first asked whether dichoptic movie viewing could improve the visual function of amblyopic subjects beyond the critical period. Secondly, we tested if this effect could be enhanced by short-term monocular occlusion of the amblyopic eye. 17 subjects presenting stable functional amblyopia participated in this study. 10 subjects followed 6 sessions of 1.5 hour of dichoptic movie viewing (nonpatched group), and 7 subjects, prior to each of these sessions, had to wear an occluding patch over the amblyopic eye for two hours (patched group). Best-corrected visual acuity, monocular contrast sensitivity, interocular balance, and stereoacuity were measured before and after the training. For the nonpatched group, mean amblyopic eye visual acuity significantly improved from 0.54 to 0.46 logMAR (p < 0.05). For the patched group, mean amblyopic eye visual acuity significantly improved from 0.62 to 0.43 logMAR (p < 0.05). Stereoacuity improved significantly when the data of both groups were combined. No significant improvement was observed for the other visual functions tested. Our training procedure combines modern video technologies and recent fundamental findings in human plasticity: (i) long-term plasticity induced by dichoptic movie viewing and (ii) short-term adaptation induced by temporary monocular occlusion. This passive dichoptic movie training approach is shown to significantly improve visual acuity of subjects beyond the critical period. The addition of a short-term monocular occlusion to the dichoptic training shows promising trends but was not significant for the sample size used here. The passive movie approach combined with interocular contrast balancing even over such a short period as 2 weeks has potential as a clinical therapy to treat amblyopia in older children and adults.
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Dorr M, Kwon M, Lesmes LA, Miller A, Kazlas M, Chan K, Hunter DG, Lu ZL, Bex PJ. Binocular Summation and Suppression of Contrast Sensitivity in Strabismus, Fusion and Amblyopia. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:234. [PMID: 31354452 PMCID: PMC6640006 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Amblyopia and strabismus affect 2%–5% of the population and cause a broad range of visual deficits. The response to treatment is generally assessed using visual acuity, which is an insensitive measure of visual function and may, therefore, underestimate binocular vision gains in these patients. On the other hand, the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) generally takes longer to assess than visual acuity, but it is better correlated with improvement in a range of visual tasks and, notably, with improvements in binocular vision. The present study aims to assess monocular and binocular CSFs in amblyopia and strabismus patients. Methods: Both monocular CSFs and the binocular CSF were assessed for subjects with amblyopia (n = 11), strabismus without amblyopia (n = 20), and normally sighted controls (n = 24) using a tablet-based implementation of the quick CSF, which can assess a full CSF in <3 min. Binocular summation was evaluated against a baseline model of simple probability summation. Results: The CSF of amblyopic eyes was impaired at mid-to-high spatial frequencies compared to fellow eyes, strabismic eyes without amblyopia, and control eyes. Binocular contrast summation exceeded probability summation in controls, but not in subjects with amblyopia (with or without strabismus) or strabismus without amblyopia who were able to fuse at the test distance. Binocular summation was less than probability summation in strabismic subjects who were unable to fuse. Conclusions: We conclude that monocular and binocular contrast sensitivity deficits define important characteristics of amblyopia and strabismus that are not captured by visual acuity alone and can be measured efficiently using the quick CSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Dorr
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - MiYoung Kwon
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | | | - Alexandra Miller
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Kazlas
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kimberley Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David G Hunter
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zhong-Lin Lu
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Peter J Bex
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
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Chen H, He Z, Xu J, Mao Y, Liang Y, Lin D, Xu M, Dai Z, Chen X, Zhou J, Yu X. A Convenient and Robust Test to Quantify Interocular Suppression for Children With Amblyopia. Iperception 2019; 10:2041669519864971. [PMID: 31384415 PMCID: PMC6657131 DOI: 10.1177/2041669519864971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Interocular suppression was quantified by the interocular luminance difference that was needed when the two eyes were balanced in discriminating a black-white stripe formed butterfly stimulus, which was dichoptically presented through polarized glasses. Stronger interocular suppression was found in amblyopes than that in controls at both the near (33 cm, 0.95 ± 1.00 vs. 0.14 ± 0.18, p < .001) and far (5 m, 2.18 ± 0.97 vs. 0.24 ± 0.16, p < .001) viewing distances. The interocular suppression in amblyopes was significantly correlated with the interocular visual acuity difference, the visual acuity of amblyopic eye, the Worth-4-Dot test, and the stereo acuity at both the near and far distances (for all cases, p < .001). Our new test enables convenient and robust measurements of interocular suppression in children with amblyopia. The measured interocular suppression is in agreement with other clinical measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Zhifen He
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Jinling Xu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yu Mao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yunjie Liang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Danli Lin
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Meiping Xu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Zhiyue Dai
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Xiaoxin Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Xinping Yu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
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Amblyopia Affects the ON Visual Pathway More than the OFF. J Neurosci 2019; 39:6276-6290. [PMID: 31189574 PMCID: PMC6687897 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3215-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual information reaches the cerebral cortex through parallel ON and OFF pathways that signal the presence of light and dark stimuli in visual scenes. We have previously demonstrated that optical blur reduces visual salience more for light than dark stimuli because it removes the high spatial frequencies from the stimulus, and low spatial frequencies drive weaker ON than OFF cortical responses. Therefore, we hypothesized that sustained optical blur during brain development should weaken ON cortical pathways more than OFF, increasing the dominance of darks in visual perception. Here we provide support for this hypothesis in humans with anisometropic amblyopia who suffered sustained optical blur early after birth in one of the eyes. In addition, we show that the dark dominance in visual perception also increases in strabismic amblyopes that have their vision to high spatial frequencies reduced by mechanisms not associated with optical blur. Together, we show that amblyopia increases visual dark dominance by 3-10 times and that the increase in dark dominance is strongly correlated with amblyopia severity. These results can be replicated with a computational model that uses greater luminance/response saturation in ON than OFF pathways and, as a consequence, reduces more ON than OFF cortical responses to stimuli with low spatial frequencies. We conclude that amblyopia affects the ON cortical pathway more than the OFF, a finding that could have implications for future amblyopia treatments.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Amblyopia is a loss of vision that affects 2-5% of children across the world and originates from a deficit in visual cortical circuitry. Current models assume that amblyopia affects similarly ON and OFF visual pathways, which signal light and dark features in visual scenes. Against this current belief, here we demonstrate that amblyopia affects the ON visual pathway more than the OFF, a finding that could have implications for new amblyopia treatments targeted at strengthening a weak ON visual pathway.
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Wang Y, He Z, Liang Y, Chen Y, Gong L, Mao Y, Chen X, Yao Z, Spiegel DP, Qu J, Lu F, Zhou J, Hess RF. The Binocular Balance at High Spatial Frequencies as Revealed by the Binocular Orientation Combination Task. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:106. [PMID: 31001096 PMCID: PMC6454030 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
How to precisely quantify the binocular eye balance (i.e., the contribution that each eye makes to the binocular percept) across a range of spatial frequencies using a binocular combination task, is an important issue in both clinical and basic research. In this study, we aimed to compare the precision of a binocular orientation combination paradigm with that of the standard binocular phase combination paradigm in measuring the binocular eye balance at low to high spatial frequencies. Nine normal adults (average age: 24.6 ± 2.0 years old) participated. Subjects viewed an LED screen dichoptically with polarized glasses in a dark room. The method of constant stimuli was used to quantitatively assess the point of subjective equality (PSE), i.e., the interocular contrast ratio when two eyes are balanced in binocular combination, for stimulus spatial frequencies from 0.5 to 8 cycles/degree. Precision was quantified by the variance [i.e., standard error (SE), obtained from 100 bootstrap estimates] associated to the PSE. Using stimuli whose interocular phase difference at the edge of the gratings was matched at 45°, we found that the orientation paradigm provides more precision than the standard binocular phase combination paradigm, especially at high frequencies (Experiment 1). Such differences remained when using stimuli that had three times larger interocular phase difference (Experiment 2) or displayed at four times higher stimuli resolution (Experiment 3). Our results indicate that a binocular combination tasked based on orientation rather than phase, provides a more precise estimate of binocular eye balance in human adults at high spatial frequencies, thus allowing a binocular balance to be assessed within the spatial region where amblyopes are most defective (i.e., high spatial frequencies).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhifen He
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yunjie Liang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yiya Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ling Gong
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yu Mao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxin Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhimo Yao
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Daniel P Spiegel
- Vision Sciences, Essilor R&D, Center for Innovation and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jia Qu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Fan Lu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Webber AL, Wood JM, Thompson B, Birch EE. From suppression to stereoacuity: a composite binocular function score for clinical research. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2019; 39:53-62. [PMID: 30628744 DOI: 10.1111/opo.12599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to validate a binocular function score that is based on common clinical measures of visual function, providing a more complete analysis of binocular outcomes, against laboratory-based dichoptic tests of threshold stereoacuity and depth of suppression. METHODS Scores on a composite binocular function (BF) score derived from clinical stereoacuity measures (Randot Preschool Stereoacuity Test and Randot Butterfly) and the Worth 4 Dot test were determined in adults (n = 20; age 24.8 ± 7.2 years) and children (N = 77; age 8.3 ± 1.7 years) with abnormal binocular vision from strabismus or amblyopia. Adults had threshold stereoacuity measured with a novel, computerised dichoptic psychophysical test of stereopsis. Depth of suppression (dichoptic eye chart inter-ocular contrast balance test) was determined in both adults and children. RESULTS Clinical Randot stereoacuity was measurable in 50% of adult and 61% of child participants. Threshold stereoacuity was measurable in 65% of the adult participants. The presence of suppression or simultaneous perception (flat fusion or diplopia) was measurable in all participants, enabling assignment of a BF score to all participants in both groups. In adults, the BF score was highly correlated with the psychophysical threshold stereoacuity measure (ρ = 0.71; p < 0.001). In both adults and children, there was also a high correlation between the BF score and inter-ocular contrast balance (adult ρ = 0.90; child ρ = 0.86; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The composite BF score is a convenient and valid scale of binocularity that can be used to extend the stereoacuity measure in cohorts where nil stereoacuity is common and thus could be considered as an outcome measure in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann L Webber
- School of Optometry & Vision Science and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Joanne M Wood
- School of Optometry & Vision Science and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Benjamin Thompson
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Eileen E Birch
- Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA
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Kugathasan L, Partanen M, Chu V, Lyons C, Giaschi D. Reading ability of children treated for amblyopia. Vision Res 2019; 156:28-38. [PMID: 30633876 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 01/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported compromised reading ability in children with amblyopia. Standardized psychoeducational test norms have not been used; therefore, the practical consequences of poor reading ability, such as eligibility for reading supports at school, have not been assessed. Furthermore, several studies have used atypical reading conditions such as monocular or distant viewing. It is also not clear how amblyopia treatment impacts reading ability. Thus, the goal of this study was to use standardized tests to compare binocular reading performance in children treated for amblyopia to that of a large normative sample, as well as to the types of control groups used in previous studies. Children treated for strabismic or anisometropic amblyopia (N = 14) were compared to children treated for strabismus without amblyopia (N = 12) and to children with healthy vision (N = 39). Visual acuity, stereoacuity, interocular suppression, intellectual functioning, oral single-word reading (TOWRE-2), and oral paragraph reading (GORT-5) were assessed. The control group showed significantly higher single-word reading accuracy than the amblyopia and strabismus groups. However, mean performance for all groups was within the average range of the normative sample. While mean scores were in the average range, six children (four amblyopia, two strabismus) performed below average on the single-word reading task; four of these children also showed below average paragraph reading. Reading scores were not correlated with visual acuity in the patient groups. The results raise the possibility that both strabismus and amblyopia can disrupt reading ability, even following successful treatment, to an extent that might benefit from reading supports at school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laveniya Kugathasan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marita Partanen
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Violet Chu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher Lyons
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Deborah Giaschi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Bossi M, Hamm LM, Dahlmann-Noor A, Dakin SC. A comparison of tests for quantifying sensory eye dominance. Vision Res 2018; 153:60-69. [PMID: 30292725 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2018.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Clinicians rely heavily on stereoacuity to measure binocular visual function, but stereo-vision represents only one aspect of binocularity. Lab-based tests of sensory eye dominance (SED) are commonplace, but have not been translated to wider clinical practice. Here we compare several methods of quantifying SED in a format suitable for clinical use. We tested 30 participants with ostensibly normal vision on eight tests. Seven tests (#1-7) were designed to quantify SED in the form of an interocular balance-point (BP). In tests #1-6, we estimated a contrast-BP, the interocular difference in contrast required for observers to be equally likely to base their judgement on either eye, whereas in test #7 we measured binocular rivalry (interocular ratio of sensory dominance duration). We compare test-retest reliability (intra-observer consistency) and test-validity (inter-observer discriminatory power) and compare BP to stereoacuity (test #8). The test that best preserved inter-observer differences in contrast balance while maintaining good test-retest reliability was a polarity judgement using superimposed opposite-contrast polarity same-identity optotypes. A reliable and valid measure of SED can be obtained rapidly (20 trials) using a simple contrast-polarity judgement. Tests that use polarity-rivalrous stimuli elicit more reliable judgments than those that do not. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Although sensory eye dominance is central to understanding normal and disordered binocular vision, there is currently no consensus as to the best way to measure it. Here we compare several candidate measures of sensory eye dominance and conclude that a reliable measure of SED can be achieved rapidly using a judgement of stimulus contrast-polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Bossi
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath St, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Lisa M Hamm
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Annegret Dahlmann-Noor
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath St, London EC1V 9EL, UK; Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Steven C Dakin
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath St, London EC1V 9EL, UK; School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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Vera-Diaz FA, Bex PJ, Ferreira A, Kosovicheva A. Binocular temporal visual processing in myopia. J Vis 2018; 18:17. [PMID: 30372727 PMCID: PMC6205559 DOI: 10.1167/18.11.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Our ability to utilize binocular visual information depends on the visibility of the retinal images in each eye, which varies with both their spatial and temporal frequency content. Although the effects of spatial information on binocular function have been established, the effects of temporal frequency on binocularity are less well understood. These factors may also vary with refractive error if spatiotemporal sensitivity is affected by structural changes during the emmetropization process that may differentially affect distinct ganglion cells. In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated the potential effects of temporal and spatial frequency on binocularity in young individuals with emmetropia or myopia. Stereopsis and binocular balance were measured as a function of temporal (0-12 Hz) and spatial (1-8 c/deg) frequency. Stereopsis thresholds were measured by determining the minimum disparity at which subjects accurately identified the depth of bandpass-filtered rings. Binocular balance was measured by determining the relative contrast at which subjects reported dichoptic bandpass-filtered letters with equal frequency. Stereopsis thresholds were temporal but not spatial frequency dependent whereas binocular balance was spatial and temporal frequency dependent. There were no differences in monocular spatiotemporal contrast sensitivity between refractive groups in our sample. However, individuals with myopia showed reduced stereopsis with flickering stimuli and greater binocular imbalance at higher spatial and lower temporal frequencies compared to emmetropes. Differences in binocular vision between emmetropia and corrected myopia depend on temporal as well as spatial frequency and may be the cause or consequence of abnormal emmetropization during visual development.
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