Intermittent Exotropia Treatment with Dichoptic Visual Training Using a Unique Virtual Reality Platform.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

• Intermittent exotropia (IXT) is a common strabismus characterized by outward deviation of the eyes.
• Current treatments for IXT often involve surgery or traditional vision therapy.
• There is a need for effective, non-invasive therapeutic options to improve visual function in IXT patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of dichoptic visual neuroplasticity training using a virtual reality (VR) platform in patients with intermittent exotropia (IXT).
• To assess the impact of VR-based training on eye position, stereopsis, and perceptual eye position (PEP) in IXT patients.

Main Methods:

• 25 patients diagnosed with IXT underwent dichoptic visual training on a VR platform for 6 months.
• Evaluations included Hirschberg test, prism cover testing, perceptual eye position (PEP), and stereopsis.
• Data were collected at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months post-training and analyzed using SPSS software.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in stereopsis and eye position were observed in all 25 patients after 6 months of VR training.
• Horizontal PEP significantly decreased after 1 and 6 months of training (p < 0.05).
• Significant improvements were noted in corneal optical reflection and prism diopters (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• Dichoptic visual neuroplasticity training utilizing a VR platform is an effective nonsurgical treatment for intermittent exotropia (IXT).
• VR-based perceptual training can enhance visual processing and repair visual function defects, leading to reduced strabismus and re-established stereopsis.