Oculomotor Training for Poor Saccades Improves Functional Vision Scores and Neurobehavioral Symptoms

To determine if participants with saccadic dysfunction improved after participating in a standardized oculomotor training program. A secondary objective was to accurately quantify change in saccades after training using eye tracking technology. A third objective was to examine patients' neurobehavioral symptoms before and after oculomotor training using the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI).

A prospective study involving treatment and control group pre-post intervention design.

Data were collected in eye clinics with a standardized eye tracking equipment setup.

Participants in the bottom 25th percentile for saccadic eye movements (N=92; intervention=46, control=46) who were currently asymptomatic of specific disorder.

Participants were randomly assigned to the control or intervention group. The intervention group engaged in 10 minutes of oculomotor training daily for 5 days.

The ratio of the peak saccadic velocity over its average velocity (the Q ratio), saccadic targeting, and NSI.

Results revealed significant interactions between control and intervention groups (P=.013). The control group increased 7% from pre to post; however, the intervention group exhibited a 6% decreased from pre to post. Participants in the intervention group demonstrated a 25% improvement in targeting saccade accuracy (P=.021). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in all neurobehavioral factors on the NSI in the intervention group, specifically the affective and cognitive factors relating to poor saccades.

For this population, oculomotor training (Q ratio and saccade accuracy) resulted improved saccadic metrics and a significant reduction in overall symptoms as shown on the NSI. Future participants reported improved symptoms pre- and postintervention. Further research is needed to understand saccadic performance and gaze stability during specific tasks (such as reading).