PATIENT-SPECIFIC PERCEPTUAL VISUAL STIMULATION IMPROVES VISION AND CONTRAST SENSITIVITY IN CROSSLINKED STABLE KERATOCONUS

To evaluate computer-based perceptual visual therapy (PL) regime using Gabor patches for improving best-corrected vision(BCVA) & contrast sensitivity function(CSF) in crosslinked stable keratoconus(KC)

A Prospective, controlled randomized, open-label study. 

A Prospective, controlled randomized, open-label study. Subjects aged 18-35 with stable KC clinically and by serial topographic assessments. KC stable over 1 yr with BCVA worse than 20/40 were randomized in 2:1 into treatment (G1), and control (G2) arms. The study consisted of 2 phases (screening + therapy periods). Post 20 and 40 training sessions were evaluated for improvements in BCVA distance & near (ETDRS) & CSF at spatial freq. of 3, 6,12,18 CPD

30 cases randomised in 2:1. Baseline BCVA was 68.20+/-8.11 & 67.40+/-7.09 in G1,G2 (p=0.793). BCVA of PL(G1) improved to 73.30+/-7.47 & 79.10+/-8.46 post 20 & 40 sessions(over 2.5 LogMAR lines,p<0.0001) & not in controls(G2). CSF at 3,6,12,18 CPD (Friedman repeated measure tests) showed significant improvements in PL (G1,p<0.0001), & not in controls.

Vision is limited by image capturing and image processing. While all modalities only treat refraction (capturing), Visual Perceptual Therapy trains the brain to see better (image processing) without additional surgery, enhancements, drugs, or side effects in cases with Stable Keratoconus and is a good post-operative therapeutic adjuvant.