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. 2013 Sep;27(9):1077-83.
doi: 10.1038/eye.2013.113. Epub 2013 Jun 28.

Interactive binocular treatment (I-BiT) for amblyopia: results of a pilot study of 3D shutter glasses system

N Herbison  1 , S Cobb, R Gregson, I Ash, R Eastgate, J Purdy, T Hepburn, D MacKeith, A Foss; I-BiT study group
Affiliations

Interactive binocular treatment (I-BiT) for amblyopia: results of a pilot study of 3D shutter glasses system

N Herbison et al. Eye (Lond). 2013 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: A computer-based interactive binocular treatment system (I-BiT) for amblyopia has been developed, which utilises commercially available 3D 'shutter glasses'. The purpose of this pilot study was to report the effect of treatment on visual acuity (VA) in children with amblyopia.

Methods: Thirty minutes of I-BiT treatment was given once weekly for 6 weeks. Treatment sessions consisted of playing a computer game and watching a DVD through the I-BiT system. VA was assessed at baseline, mid-treatment, at the end of treatment, and at 4 weeks post treatment. Standard summary statistics and an exploratory one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed.

Results: Ten patients were enrolled with strabismic, anisometropic, or mixed amblyopia. The mean age was 5.4 years. Nine patients (90%) completed the full course of I-BiT treatment with a mean improvement of 0.18 (SD=0.143). Six out of nine patients (67%) who completed the treatment showed a clinically significant improvement of 0.125 LogMAR units or more at follow-up. The exploratory one-way ANOVA showed an overall effect over time (F=7.95, P=0.01). No adverse effects were reported.

Conclusion: This small, uncontrolled study has shown VA gains with 3 hours of I-BiT treatment. Although it is recognised that this pilot study had significant limitations-it was unblinded, uncontrolled, and too small to permit formal statistical analysis-these results suggest that further investigation of I-BiT treatment is worthwhile.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The I-BiT system. (a) 3D monitor and game control pad. (b) Shutter glasses. (c) Complete I-BiT system including clinician and patient monitors.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Visual acuity. VA in LogMAR units for all patients from baseline to week 10.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Change in VA. Mean and 95% confidence intervals for change in VA from baseline.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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