Biofeedback Low Vision Rehabilitation with Retimax Vision Trainer in Patients with Advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration: A Pilot Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) biofeedback rehabilitation in selected low vision patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Retrospective observational cohort study. Methods Patients affected by advanced AMD, central macular atrophy with unstable fixation and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between 20/100 and 20/320 were considered. Selected patients underwent fundus photography and microperimetry with fixation analysis for the selected eye (highest BCVA). Ten consecutive training sessions of 10 min each were performed twice a week in the selected eye with Retimax Vision Trainer (CSO, Florence). BCVA, reading acuity and reading speed, contrast sensitivity, fixation, retinal sensitivity and quality of life questionnaire (VFQ-25) were evaluated at baseline and 7 days following the final session. Results Significant improvements in terms of BCVA [p = .011], reading speed [p = .007], VFQ-25 score [p = .007], retinal sensitivity [p = .021] and fixation stability in the central 2° and 4° [p = .048; p = .037] post-treatment were observed for the 9 patients enrolled, with insignificant improvements observed in reading acuity and contrast sensitivity [p = .335; p = .291]. Conclusions Preliminary results support VEP biofeedback rehabilitation improvements for visual function and quality of life in advanced AMD patients with low vision.