Virtual Reality for Enhancement of Vision

Virtual Reality for Enhancement of Vision

This project aims to evaluate the use of Virtual Reality (VR) based visual stimulation for the treatment of blindness arising from Glaucoma and other retinal diseases or disorders of the visual system, through regeneration of axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in humans.

In certain cases of blindness, such as in Glaucoma, or in certain injuries, the optic nerves behind the retina of our eyes get damaged, leading to partial blindness, mostly near the periphery of our eye. Recent research in Dr.Huberman's laboratory has identified visual stimulation as a non-invasive model for regeneration of such damaged axons in rodents, back to the vision centers of their brain.

Inclusion Criteria:

For subjects with glaucoma, other retinal diseases, or disorders of the visual system:

• 1. Patient age > 12 years
• 2. Compliance with investigator instructions, tests and visit during subject participation in the study.
• 3. Sufficient fixation ability
• 4.Best corrected visual acuity of 20/200 or better in at least one eye, or capable to see the visual stimulus at least in one eye.

For healthy volunteers:

• 1. Patient age > 12 years
• 2. Compliance with investigator instructions, tests and visit during subject participation in the study.
• 3.Best corrected visual acuity of 20/20 in both eyes.
• 4. Sufficient fixation ability

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1. Electric or electronic implants (such as cardiac pacemaker)
• 2. Any metal artifacts in the head or truncus area (with the exception of dental implants)
• 3. Epilepsy and photo-sensibility; acute auto-immune diseases
• 4. Acute conjunctivitis
• 5. Pathological nystagmus