Do visually impaired children benefit from computer vision training?
Visual disturbances at a young age can have a lasting effect on a child's overall development: performance, quality of life and self-confidence can be negatively affected. It is therefore important to treat existing visual impairment in children as early as possible. What is the use of digital vision training?
Visual training, for example using video support, could improve the visual acuity of the weaker eye, but the proven effect did little to improve the visual performance of those affected, reports the 'Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (IQWiG) in a current version.
No clear statement of benefits
On behalf of IQWiG, scientists from Germany and Austria, under the direction of the Institute for Evidence in Medicine at the University Hospital of Freiburg, are currently investigating whether children and adolescents with developmental visual impairment can benefit from a active visual training.
According to the preliminary result, the scientific team cannot make a clear statement about the benefit of active visual training in children and adolescents with visual impairment based on the available studies.
Although individual studies show that visual acuity in the weaker eye can be improved with digital training, for example in the case of myopia and hyperopia, the proven effect was so small that it only slightly improved the visual performance of those affected. .
Eye training is intended to improve partial areas of vision
Sharp, spatial vision develops in children up to age nine. Various causes such as strabismus or myopia can prevent vision from developing properly.
Eye training aims to promote the different sub-domains of vision, such as fixation, focus, eye movements and visual perception, through targeted practice and thus improve overall vision.
As part of the Medicine Theme Check, the mother of a visually impaired child whose doctor had recommended vision training for her child for six to twelve months asked in what situations children and young people with vision problems could benefit from visual training.
Hence the question of the HTA preliminary report (HTA: Health Technology Assessment) now available: Do children and young people benefit from active visual training?
Effect of digital vision training in ametropia
According to the information provided, the external scientific team commissioned by IQWiG only identified studies investigating the effect of digital vision training on low vision (amblyopia) for its benefit assessment.
Emphasis has been placed on such training, which includes several weeks of digital vision training (usually by video) in the living environment of the children concerned. There were no usable study results on the benefits of analog vision training (without PC support).
For the endpoint "best corrected visual acuity in the weaker eye", experts in individual studies found an advantage in favor of digital vision training over no training, with training dummy or occlusion treatment (= masking of the strongest eye) - the differences measured in the visual acuity of these However, the comparisons were so small that they hardly improved the visual performance of the people concerned.
For the "spatial vision" criterion, none of the scientific papers showed any indication of a greater benefit of digital training - neither compared to no training, nor to sham training or to occlusion treatment.
The frequent lack of adherence to treatment in children and adolescents and the often too short observation period in studies (only a few weeks instead of the long-term treatment period which is really necessary) do not currently allow authors to speak out. about the benefits of active vision training in children and adolescents may experience amblyopia. (ad)
Author and source information
Show nowThis text corresponds to the specifications of the specialized medical literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been verified by health professionals.
Important note:
This article contains general advice only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. It cannot substitute a visit to the doctor.
