Assessment of the Impact of a Head-mounted Augmented Reality Low Vision Aid on Vision and Quality of Life in Children and Young People with Visual Impairment.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic head-mounted low vision aids (LVAs) can help children and young people (CYP) to access schoolwork and leisure activities which they would otherwise struggle to be able to do with traditional optical or hand held LVAs. SightPlus uses a smartphone mounted in a virtual reality headset controlled using a Bluetooth joystick. It offers users 0.7-24.3× magnification alongside enhanced modes to maximise vision.

METHODS: Eighteen participants aged 8-16 years with reduced vision were given SightPlus to use at home for four weeks. Visual acuity was assessed with and without SightPlus along with reading performance, contrast sensitivity, functional vision and quality of life questionnaires.

RESULTS: Clinically significant improvements in distance vision (0.633logMAR SD ± 0.359), near vision (0.411logMAR SD ± 0.368), reading acuity (0.454LlogMAR SD ± 0.406) and critical print size (0.285logMAR ± 0.360) were seen when testing with SightPlus.However, there was a mean decrease in contrast sensitivity and reading speed when using SightPlus. Despite this, nine out of the 14 patients included for analysis indicated a preference to continue to use SightPlus. Of note, younger participants were more likely to show a preference for using SightPlus. All seven CYP aged 10 or under wanted to continue to use SightPlus; in contrast, only two of the seven participants aged 11 or over wanted to continue.

CONCLUSIONS: Like the results in adult populations, SightPlus has been found to improve CYP visual functions. Older participants were less likely to want to continue to use SightPlus, potentially suggesting they have found other methods for managing sight loss.