Stereopsis deficiency treatment using virtual reality games in exotropic candidate for firefighter

Abstract

Background: Impaired stereopsis very often limits career options for patients with binocular vision disorders. Eyesight requirements for some occupations like police officers and firefighters usually include perfect visual acuity. In Poland, candidates for these professions must also demonstrate perfect stereopsis. The presented case study aims to demonstrate that vision therapy (VT1) mixed with new technologies may be an effective treatment for young adults who do not meet the chosen occupation's visual requirements.
 Case report: A case of a young man diagnosed with intermittent exotropia and poor stereopsis is discussed. Poor stereopsis did not allow him to pass the ophthalmological qualification tests to the fire academy. Vision therapy was implemented to improve stereopsis. The case report presents the patient’s treatment implemented within 4 years. The patient started with prismatic correction, then received the office-based VT with home reinforcement. The improvement in fusional vergence and the control of deviation was observed. Nevertheless, the patient was still stereo-deficient. 3 years later, Binocular Vision Therapy in Virtual Reality (BVTVR2) was recommended. The patient received home-based therapy for 16 weeks (60 minutes per day), which has resulted in significant improvement of stereopsis. As a result, he finally met the visual requirements to become a firefighter.
 Conclusion: BVTVR appears to be a promising rehabilitation method for patients with poor stereopsis. Three-dimensional anti-suppression therapy and dynamic, real-life stereopsis training seem to be a more effective treatment of poor stereopsis compared to standard VT techniques.