User:Gaborgulya/23306757

 1 Copy from pubmed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23306757
 2 highlight section titles, introduce wiki-links
 3 format reference

effectiveness of vision rehabilitation treatment through MP-1 microperimeter in patients with visual loss due to macular disease

citation

Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome; National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (INMP/NIHMP), Rome, Italy.

Purpose

To evaluate the effectiveness of biofeedback treatment for low-vision rehabilitation in patients affected by macular disease.

Materials and Methods

171 eyes of 99 patients (42 female and 57 male) between 50 to 75 years old (mean age: 64.6) were included in this study. All patients were suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (122 eyes) or macular myopic degeneration (MMD) (49 eyes). All patients underwent an assessment of examinations including visual acuity, reading speed test, slit lamp examination and tonometry, ophthalmoscopic fundus examination, microperimetry, fixation test, retinal sensitivity, fluorangiography (FAG), optical coherence tomography (OCT). The treatment was divided in 16 sessions, the patients underwent other examination assessment at 6 and 12 months, except for FAG and OCT. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test, and p-value <=0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

After training 130 eyes of 171 in the study group (76.02%) had a statistically significant improvement of the distant visual acuity (p<0.01): 38 eyes suffering from MMD and 92 eyes suffering from AMD. After 12 months of follow-up a group of 25 eyes of 130 (19.23%) had a loss of benefits that were observed at the end of the treatment sessions: 16 eyes and 9 eyes were suffering from MMD and AMD respectively. Examination assessment during follow-up showed that 4 eyes and 2 eyes of the group that lost benefits had a worsening of MMD and AMD primary disease respectively.

Conclusions

It is not yet understood how biofeedback produces amelioration of visual function. According to the Eccentric fixation theory, with biofeedback rehabilitation patients are trained to use the non-damaged retina areas to develop a new preferred retinal locus. In our study group we found a significant improvement in both visual acuity and fixation. Clin Ter 2012; 163(6):e423-428.

Added to the text

• biofeedback: Macular disease of the retina. A 2012 observational study by Pacella et al. found a significant improvement in both visual acuity and fixation treating patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration or macular myopic degeneration with biofeedback treatment through MP-1 microperimeter.
• Macular degeneration: A 2012 observational study by Pacella et al. found a significant improvement in both visual acuity and fixation treating patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration or macular myopic degeneration with biofeedback treatment through MP-1 microperimeter.
• Perimetry: The microperimeter assesses the macular function in a computerised way. A 2012 observational study by Pacella et al. found a significant improvement in both visual acuity and fixation treating age-related macular degeneration or macular myopic degeneration with biofeedback treatment through MP-1 microperimeter.