Development of a novel dichoptic reading tool to improve vision in amblyopia

Recent advancements in the treatment of amblyopia have adapted visual media (video games and movies) into dichoptic tasks to promote binocular function. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a treatment based on another important daily task: reading. We propose that dichoptic e-book applications may serve as an alternative treatment for binocular vision in amblyopia. We developed a prototype of a dichoptic e-book reading application (D.E.B.R.A), that was installed on Android tablets used for participant assessments. Participants read e-books in anaglyph red/green/black presentation, which allowed for monocular and binocular contrast to be adjusted independently. Amblyopic and control participants were then tested on their reading speed and questioned about their comfort using the application. We found that participants were able to read in the dichoptic presentation, albeit slower than when the books were presented in the typical "binocular" form. This suggests that the visual system can integrate information from both eyes to support reading. For some amblyopic participants, reducing the contrast of text seen by the fellow eye increased their reading speed in accordance with current research on balancing the contrast of the two eyes to unlock binocularity. At the end of each session, participants provided feedback on their comfort using the application. Overall, this study demonstrated that amblyopes can read with both eyes when text is presented in a dichoptic format. Thus, our findings suggests that the dichoptic e-book reading application could provide an effective framework for an amblyopia treatment protocol.