Control of unsteady, eccentric fixation in amblyopic eyes by auditory feedback of eye position

A technique for providing amblyopes with auditory feedback signals of eye position errors is described. With auditory cues, 12 adult eccentrically fixing amblyopes with strabismus and/or anisometropia have been able to maintain steady and foveal fixation with the amblyopic eye. The changes observed in fixation patterns with auditory feedback were both quantitative and qualitative; with such feedback, amblyopes often exhibited sequences of normal-appearing fixation. Some of our subjects have been successful in maintaining steady foveal fixation for short periods of time after feedback is turned off, apparently using visual error signals. For two subjects, feedback also promoted major improvements in smooth tracking performance. We conclude that the use of auditory feedback of eye position has significant value for basic studies of the mechanisms underlying amblyopia and potentially for the clinical treatment of this condition.