gms | German Medical Science

Purpose: Low vision specialists are used to helping patients with severe vision loss make the best possible use of their remaining sight. Artificial vision may pose entirely new challenges to low vision care providers, since restored vision may be very different from native vision.

Methods: The NEI-sponsored PLoVR study aims to improve our understanding of ultra-low and artificial vision, and adapt the materials and methods used in low vision care to this new patient population. We have developed a questionnaire to probe the visual ability of patients with these vision levels, and are calibrating the survey through Rasch analysis. In addition, the PLoVR study designs new activities to be used for both rehabilitation and visual performance evaluation.

Results: Of 100 respondents answering the 149 question survey in the initial calibration round, only 6 were recipients of retinal implants, and none were gene therapy recipients. Nonetheless, the results allowed us to calibrate the survey items along a visual difficulty scale, that should apply to patients with these and other therapeutic modalities. As more patients are being treated with these modalities, the calibrated survey will allow mapping their progress during rehabilitation, and on-going Rasch analysis will further improve the quality of the instrument.

Conclusions: Low vision rehabilitation specialists are already working with retinal implant recipients, and recipients of other treatments will soon follow. A generalized approach to the rehabilitation of individuals with ultra-low vision, based on the results of the PLoVR study, will be the basis for the coming expansion of this field.