An interventional study of eccentric viewing training with biofeedback in Low Vision, Central Visual Impairment and Macular Degeneration, sponsored by New England College of Optometry. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 14 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-11.
Sponsored by New England College of Optometry · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
Central vision loss from macular degeneration creates blind spots that impair reading, face recognition, and navigation. Individuals must learn to use peripheral vision, requiring retraining of eye movements. Our preliminary research using high-speed eye tracking demonstrated that people with larger scotomas have impaired eye movement control, and that single-session visual feedback training showed limited immediate benefit, though combining feedback types showed promise.
This study will evaluate whether extended binocular training (5 weekly sessions) with multimodal feedback improves eye movement control in 8-15 participants with bilateral central vision loss. Unlike conventional monocular rehabilitation systems, our approach trains both eyes simultaneously using real-time visual and auditory feedback during saccadic and smooth pursuit tasks. Participants will receive gaze-contingent scotoma awareness feedback, preferred retinal locus feedback, and auditory cues while performing eye tracking exercises.
Primary outcomes include saccadic accuracy (latency, landing error, amplitude) and smooth pursuit parameters (gain, tracking accuracy). Secondary outcomes include contrast sensitivity and self-reported visual function. Success could establish an evidence base for accessible home-based training using virtual reality technology, potentially benefiting millions with macular degeneration.
98 studies on the registry are indexed under Vision, Low; 23 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 12 is below the median of 60 across 78 interventional studies indexed under Vision, Low.
Browse Vision, Low studies →New England College of Optometry is the lead sponsor of 2 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
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Bilateral central scotomas confirmed via computerized tangent screen Visual acuity between 20/60 and 20/200 (0.5 - 1.00 logMAR) in either eye Stable central vision loss (no change in visual acuity >0.2 logMAR in past 6 months) Age 14 years or older, with diagnosis of macular disease Normal cognitive function ( score ≥24) Ability to provide and complete study visits No major hearing loss Fluent in English
Exclusion Criteria:
Unstable ocular disease (e.g., ongoing treatments and/or injections) Peripheral vision loss of less than 40 degrees Conditions affecting oculomotor control independent of CVL
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Short tests of memory and thinking, each scored out of 30. Lower scores suggest more difficulty; criteria give a range, either to include people with memory problems or to leave them out.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
MMSE and MoCA
Short tests of memory and thinking, each scored out of 30. Lower scores suggest more difficulty; criteria give a range, either to include people with memory problems or to leave them out.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
All participants will receive binocular oculomotor training with multimodal feedback. Participants will complete 5 weekly training sessions (approximately 60 minutes each) performing saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movement exercises. Training incorporates three types of feedback presented systematically across sessions: (1) scotoma awareness feedback via gaze-contingent black circle overlay representing the blind spot, (2) preferred retinal locus (PRL) feedback via dynamic gaze-contingent ring showing real-time fixation location, and (3) auditory feedback with tone modulation indicating fixation stability, PRL accuracy, and target acquisition. Eye movements are recorded using binocular eye tracking at 2000Hz. Contrast sensitivity is assessed intermittently during training using adaptive Gabor presentations. Outcomes are measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-training (Week 6).
Behavioral: eccentric viewing training with biofeedback
Participants will complete 5 weekly training sessions (approximately 60 minutes each) performing eye movement exercises while receiving real-time multimodal feedback. Training includes: Saccadic Training: Visually-guided saccades to targets appearing at randomized locations with instructions to use peripheral (inferior) retinal locus. Targets shift horizontally, vertically, and obliquely to train all saccadic directions. Smooth Pursuit Training: Circular pursuit of moving targets at 2.6°/s in randomized directions with instructions to maintain peripheral gaze above the target. Feedback Modalities (systematically varied across sessions):Scotoma Awareness: Gaze-contingent black circle overlay representing participant's blind spot; Preferred Retinal Locus (PRL) Feedback: Dynamic gaze-contingent ring showing real-time fixation location; Auditory Feedback: Tone modulation indicating fixation stability, PRL accuracy, and target acquisition success; Combined multimodal feedback
Change in Saccadic Accuracy (Landing Error)
Mean distance in degrees between saccade landing position and target location, measured using binocular eye tracking during visually-guided saccade tasks. Lower values indicate better accuracy.
Time frame: At First study visit - Baseline, At each training visit (week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, and post training (week 11 )
Change in Saccadic Latency
Time in milliseconds from target appearance to saccade initiation, measured using binocular eye tracking. Faster latencies indicate improved oculomotor response.
Time frame: At First study visit - Baseline, At each training visit (week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, and post training (week 11 )
Change in Smooth Pursuit Gain
Ratio of eye velocity to target velocity during smooth pursuit tasks (optimal gain = 1.0). Higher gain values indicate better pursuit tracking accuracy.
Time frame: At First study visit - Baseline, At each training visit (week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, and post training (week 11 )
Change in Number of Catch-up Saccades During Pursuit
Mean number of corrective saccades per trial during smooth pursuit tasks. Fewer catch-up saccades indicate smoother, more accurate pursuit performance.
Time frame: At First study visit - Baseline, At each training visit (week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, and post training (week 11 )
Change in Contrast Sensitivity Function
Area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) measured using adaptive Gabor presentations during eye movement tasks. Higher values indicate better contrast sensitivity.
Time frame: Baseline, Post-training (Week 6)
Change in Fixation Stability
Area of the bivariate contour ellipse at 95% confidence interval of fixation positions during stationary target fixation tasks, measured in square degrees. Smaller ellipse area indicates more stable fixation.
Time frame: Baseline, Post-training (Week 6)
Change in Vision Related Quality of Life
Baseline, Post-training (Week 6)
Time frame: At First study visit - Baseline, at last training session - week 5, and post training (week 11 )
Plan to share: Undecided
Started Jan 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2026, 10 months after the start.
Of 38 interventional studies with no phase under Vision, Low, half reached primary completion within 25 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 7 and three quarters within 56. This study's planned 10 months is below that.
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New England College of Optometry