Clinical trial NCT06150391: Evaluation of Amblyopia Protocols Using a Dichoptic Gabor Videogame Program
Official title: Randomized Controlled Trial of a Dichoptic Gabor Videogame Program to Improve Visual Function in Children With Amblyopia
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Amblyopia
Keywords: amblyopia
perceptual learning
dichoptic therapy
visual acuity
Lead sponsor: Hospital de Merida
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: VisionaryTool, S.L.
First posted: 2023-11-29
Enrollment: 120
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 4
Maximum age (years): 12
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Participants will be divided in two groups: GA, 60 participants without previous occlusion treatment; GB, 60 participants with previous occlusion or penalization.

In GA, participants will be assigned to an Experimental subgroup (GA-E) or to a Control subgroup (GA-C). GA-E volunteers will be prescribed computer-based exercises (Visionary). GA-C patients will be prescribed occlusion.

In GB, all participants will receive occlusion. There will be two subgroups, Experimental (GB-E) and Control (GB-C), and both will be prescribed exercises using Visionary. In GB-E the computer will adjust Gabor patches frequency to visual acuity, as normal; but in GB-C Gabor frequencies will always be low.

Importantly, those patients with deviations (10 to 25 prismatic diopters) will be assigned to experimental or treatment subgroups following an independent randomization.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Interest in developing alternative methods for the treatment of amblyopia (lazy eye) has long been a topic of interest among clinicians and researchers. Occlusion or penalization of fellow eye do not always provide the desired visual acuity improvement. Moreover, occlusion is associated with a high risk of recurrence and non-compliance. Here, it is presented a protocol of a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a novel home-based system, based on a computer game.

The goal of this prospective clinical trial is to compare in visual acuity improvements in patients with amblyopia, following conventional patching therapy or this novel computer-based therapy.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does computer-based therapy equal or improve patching therapy? Can it be used as an alternative to patching?
* Does computer-based therapy used in combination with pathching solve amblyopia when patching fails alone (persistent amblyopia)?

Participants will be divided in two groups according to the previous occlusion o penalization of fellow eye. Both groups will be divided in two subgroups, experimental and control. Researchers will compare subgroups outcomes in order to asses this novel approach.

Detailed description: Amblyopia is a common neurodevelopmental abnormality that results in physiological alterations of the visual pathways and impaired vision in one eye or, less commonly, in both.Disruption of normal visual development early in life may result in perceptual, oculomotor and clinical abnormalities such as instability of fixation, anomalous retinal correspondence, and lack of stereoacuity.Amblyopia has a prevalence of around 2-4% in children and is associated with refractive error (anisometropia or isometropia) and strabismus.

The Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) has produced several studies that analyze the most effective therapies for amblyopic eye. The gold standard treatment prescribed for this condition combines spectacle correction of the refractive error with penalization and/or occlusion of the dominant eye

Interest in developing alternative methods for the treatment of amblyopia (lazy eye) has long been a topic of interest among clinicians and researchers. Occlusion or penalization of fellow eye do not always provide the desired visual acuity improvement. Moreover, occlusion is associated with a high risk of recurrence and non-compliance.

This randomized clinical trial is designed to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a novel home-based system, based on a computer activity that uses dichoptic Gabor Patches and band-filtered noise masks. It combines the concepts of perceptual learning, dichoptic training, home based therapy and gamification.

The goal of this prospective clinical trial is to compare in visual acuity improvements in patients with amblyopia, following conventional patching therapy or this novel computer-based therapy.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does computer-based therapy equal or improve patching therapy? Can it be used as an alternative to patching?
* Does computer-based therapy used as coadjuvant to pathching solve amblyopia in patients where patching fails alone (persistent amblyopia)?

Participants will be divided in two groups according to the previous occlusion o penalization of fellow eye. Both groups will be divided in two subgroups, experimental and control. Researchers will compare subgroups outcomes in order to asses if this novel approach may lead to greater improvements in vision performance in amblyopic children as substitution of occlusion treatment in novel amblyopia or as coadjutant in persistent amblyopia.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* The sample will be made up of children with amblyopia from 4 to 12 years old (amblyopia will be defined as the best corrected visual acuity less o equal to 0.8 in decimal units or \> 2 lines of difference between both eyes). Strabismus inclusion criteria will be \< 25 prismatic diopters, with a deviation ≥ 2 prismatic diopters.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects with nystagmus, ocular pathology o cognitive delay will be excluded.

Primary outcomes:
measure: BCVA Best Corrected Visual Acuity
timeFrame: Treatment will last 12 weeks, with BCVA measurements every 2 weeks. The stability control post treatment will last 12 months, with BCVA controls at 3, 6 and 12 months.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Stereoacuity
timeFrame: Treatment will last 12 weeks, with stereoacuity measurements every 2 weeks. The stability control post treatment will last 12 months, with stereoacuity controls at 3, 6 and 12 months.
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Mérida
country: Spain
facility: Servicio de Oftalmología del Hospital de Merida
state: Extremadura
Study officials:
affiliation: VisionaryTool, S.L.
name: Teresa Calderon-Gonzalez, Lic
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: VisionaryTool, S.L.
name: Juan A. Portela-Camino, PhD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: VisionaryTool, S.L.
name: Santiago Martin-Gonzalez, PhD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: Hospital de Merida
name: Maria Perez-Benito, Dra
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Hospital de Merida
name: Esther Alvarez-Martin, Dra
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References:
citation: Verghese P, McKee SP, Levi DM. Attention deficits in Amblyopia. Curr Opin Psychol. 2019 Oct;29:199-204. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.03.011. Epub 2019 Mar 22.
citation: Fu Z, Hong H, Su Z, Lou B, Pan CW, Liu H. Global prevalence of amblyopia and disease burden projections through 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2020 Aug;104(8):1164-1170. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2019-314759. Epub 2019 Nov 8.
citation: Chen AM, Cotter SA. The Amblyopia Treatment Studies: Implications for Clinical Practice. Adv Ophthalmol Optom. 2016 Aug;1(1):287-305. doi: 10.1016/j.yaoo.2016.03.007. No abstract available.
citation: Birch EE. Amblyopia and binocular vision. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2013 Mar;33:67-84. doi: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2012.11.001. Epub 2012 Nov 29.
citation: Buckle M, Billington C, Shah P, Ferris JD. Treatment outcomes for amblyopia using PEDIG amblyopia protocols: a retrospective study of 877 cases. J AAPOS. 2019 Apr;23(2):98.e1-98.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2018.12.007. Epub 2019 Mar 30.
citation: GIBSON EJ. Perceptual learning. Annu Rev Psychol. 1963;14:29-56. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ps.14.020163.000333. No abstract available.
citation: Rodan A, Candela Marroquin E, Jara Garcia LC. An updated review about perceptual learning as a treatment for amblyopia. J Optom. 2022 Jan-Mar;15(1):3-34. doi: 10.1016/j.optom.2020.08.002. Epub 2020 Nov 24.
citation: Polat U, Ma-Naim T, Belkin M, Sagi D. Improving vision in adult amblyopia by perceptual learning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Apr 27;101(17):6692-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0401200101. Epub 2004 Apr 19.
citation: Polat U, Ma-Naim T, Spierer A. Treatment of children with amblyopia by perceptual learning. Vision Res. 2009 Oct;49(21):2599-603. doi: 10.1016/j.visres.2009.07.008. Epub 2009 Jul 19.
citation: Barollo M, Contemori G, Battaglini L, Pavan A, Casco C. Perceptual learning improves contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, and foveal crowding in amblyopia. Restor Neurol Neurosci. 2017;35(5):483-496. doi: 10.3233/RNN-170731.
citation: Levi DM, Li RW. Perceptual learning as a potential treatment for amblyopia: a mini-review. Vision Res. 2009 Oct;49(21):2535-49. doi: 10.1016/j.visres.2009.02.010. Epub 2009 Feb 27.
citation: Chen PL, Chen JT, Fu JJ, Chien KH, Lu DW. A pilot study of anisometropic amblyopia improved in adults and children by perceptual learning: an alternative treatment to patching. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2008 Sep;28(5):422-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-1313.2008.00588.x.
citation: Stewart CE, Moseley MJ, Stephens DA, Fielder AR. Treatment dose-response in amblyopia therapy: the Monitored Occlusion Treatment of Amblyopia Study (MOTAS). Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004 Sep;45(9):3048-54. doi: 10.1167/iovs.04-0250.
citation: Baker DH, Meese TS, Mansouri B, Hess RF. Binocular summation of contrast remains intact in strabismic amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007 Nov;48(11):5332-8. doi: 10.1167/iovs.07-0194.
citation: Li SL, Jost RM, Morale SE, Stager DR, Dao L, Stager D, Birch EE. A binocular iPad treatment for amblyopic children. Eye (Lond). 2014 Oct;28(10):1246-53. doi: 10.1038/eye.2014.165. Epub 2014 Jul 25.
citation: Birch EE, Li SL, Jost RM, Morale SE, De La Cruz A, Stager D Jr, Dao L, Stager DR Sr. Binocular iPad treatment for amblyopia in preschool children. J AAPOS. 2015 Feb;19(1):6-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2014.09.009.
citation: Manh VM, Holmes JM, Lazar EL, Kraker RT, Wallace DK, Kulp MT, Galvin JA, Shah BK, Davis PL; Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group. A Randomized Trial of a Binocular iPad Game Versus Part-Time Patching in Children Aged 13 to 16 Years With Amblyopia. Am J Ophthalmol. 2018 Feb;186:104-115. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.11.017. Epub 2017 Nov 28.
citation: Kelly KR, Jost RM, Dao L, Beauchamp CL, Leffler JN, Birch EE. Binocular iPad Game vs Patching for Treatment of Amblyopia in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016 Dec 1;134(12):1402-1408. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.4224.
citation: Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group; Holmes JM, Manny RE, Lazar EL, Birch EE, Kelly KR, Summers AI, Martinson SR, Raghuram A, Colburn JD, Law C, Marsh JD, Bitner DP, Kraker RT, Wallace DK. A Randomized Trial of Binocular Dig Rush Game Treatment for Amblyopia in Children Aged 7 to 12 Years. Ophthalmology. 2019 Mar;126(3):456-466. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.10.032. Epub 2018 Oct 22.
citation: Birch EE, Morale SE, Jost RM, De La Cruz A, Kelly KR, Wang YZ, Bex PJ. Assessing Suppression in Amblyopic Children With a Dichoptic Eye Chart. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016 Oct 1;57(13):5649-5654. doi: 10.1167/iovs.16-19986.
citation: Xiao S, Angjeli E, Wu HC, Gaier ED, Gomez S, Travers DA, Binenbaum G, Langer R, Hunter DG, Repka MX; Luminopia Pivotal Trial Group. Randomized Controlled Trial of a Dichoptic Digital Therapeutic for Amblyopia. Ophthalmology. 2022 Jan;129(1):77-85. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.09.001. Epub 2021 Sep 14.
citation: Martin S, Portela JA, Ding J, Ibarrondo O, Levi DM. Evaluation of a Virtual Reality implementation of a binocular imbalance test. PLoS One. 2020 Aug 21;15(8):e0238047. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238047. eCollection 2020.
citation: Li SL, Reynaud A, Hess RF, Wang YZ, Jost RM, Morale SE, De La Cruz A, Dao L, Stager D Jr, Birch EE. Dichoptic movie viewing treats childhood amblyopia. J AAPOS. 2015 Oct;19(5):401-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2015.08.003.
citation: Birch EE, Jost RM, De La Cruz A, Kelly KR, Beauchamp CL, Dao L, Stager D Jr, Leffler JN. Binocular amblyopia treatment with contrast-rebalanced movies. J AAPOS. 2019 Jun;23(3):160.e1-160.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2019.02.007. Epub 2019 May 16.
citation: Manny RE, Holmes JM, Kraker RT, Li Z, Waters AL, Kelly KR, Kong L, Crouch ER, Lorenzana IJ, Alkharashi MS, Galvin JA, Rice ML, Melia BM, Cotter SA; Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group. A Randomized Trial of Binocular Dig Rush Game Treatment for Amblyopia in Children Aged 4 to 6 Years. Optom Vis Sci. 2022 Mar 1;99(3):213-227. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001867.
citation: Sloper J. New Treatments for Amblyopia-To Patch or Play? JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016 Dec 1;134(12):1408-1410. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.4296. No abstract available.
citation: Liu XY, Zhang JY. Dichoptic training in adults with amblyopia: Additional stereoacuity gains over monocular training. Vision Res. 2018 Nov;152:84-90. doi: 10.1016/j.visres.2017.07.002. Epub 2017 Aug 4.
citation: Liu XY, Zhang JY. Dichoptic De-Masking Learning in Adults With Amblyopia and Its Mechanisms. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2019 Jul 1;60(8):2968-2977. doi: 10.1167/iovs.18-26483.
citation: Liu XY, Zhang YW, Gao F, Chen F, Zhang JY. Dichoptic Perceptual Training in Children With Amblyopia With or Without Patching History. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2021 May 3;62(6):4. doi: 10.1167/iovs.62.6.4.
citation: Liu Z, Chen Z, Gao L, Liu M, Huang Y, Feng L, Yuan J, Deng D, Huang CB, Yu M. A New Dichoptic Training Strategy Leads to Better Cooperation Between the Two Eyes in Amblyopia. Front Neurosci. 2020 Nov 26;14:593119. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2020.593119. eCollection 2020.
citation: Holmes JM, Manh VM, Lazar EL, Beck RW, Birch EE, Kraker RT, Crouch ER, Erzurum SA, Khuddus N, Summers AI, Wallace DK; Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group. Effect of a Binocular iPad Game vs Part-time Patching in Children Aged 5 to 12 Years With Amblyopia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016 Dec 1;134(12):1391-1400. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.4262.