{
  "abstract": "Background There are limited treatment options to improve vision in patients with infantile nystagmus. We aimed to examine the use of repeated visual stimulation with Gabor patches to improve vision.Methods A prospective randomised (3:1) controlled single-blind study. Included were patients aged 9–55 years with infantile nystagmus, treated in one tertiary referral centre in central Israel. The treatment group underwent visual stimulation for 4 months, which consisted of treatment sessions of approximately 30 min, 3–4 times a week, using web-based dedicated software. Controls were followed without treatment.Results 26 patients were treated, and 10 served as controls. Mean age was 22.47±12 years. 12/26 (46%) of treated subjects achieved driving licence best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (20/40) versus 1/10 (10%) of controls. Distance BCVA improved by 0.11±0.07 logMAR (one line) in treated patients compared with 0.013±0.06 logMAR in controls (p<0.001). Near BCVA improved by 0.20±0.18 logMAR (2 lines) in treated patients compared with 0.06±0.06 logMAR in controls (p=0.040). 88% (8/9) of study patients who had no stereopsis prior to treatment achieved stereopsis (mean 630’) as opposed to 25% (1/4) of controls (p=0.10). Mean stereoacuity and contrast sensitivity improved by 802±730′ and 292±391% in the study group as opposed to 246±376′ and 152±67% in controls, respectively (p=0.031; p=0.157).Conclusions Visual perceptual learning using Gabor patches resulted in a significant improvement in near and distance visual acuity, as well as stereopsis. This modality may represent a promising non-invasive treatment option for improving visual function in patients with infantile nystagmus.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel",
        "Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel"
      ],
      "name": "Idan Hecht"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah Medical Center",
        "Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel"
      ],
      "name": "Claudia Yahalom"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel"
      ],
      "name": "Ora Abaev"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel",
        "Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel"
      ],
      "name": "Adi Einan-Lifshitz"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel",
        "Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel"
      ],
      "name": "Eran Pras"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah Medical Center",
        "Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel"
      ],
      "name": "Nir Erdinest"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel",
        "Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel"
      ],
      "name": "Sigal Zmujack-Yehiam"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Efficacy of perceptual learning among patients with infantile nystagmus: a prospective single-blind randomised controlled trial",
  "uid": "f91c3bb1-ae0a-5b17-b305-34805f9bb0e7"
}