Lazy eye shooter: A novel game therapy for visual recovery in adult amblyopia

Training studies using action video games have shown enhanced post-training vision in both normally-sighted as well as amblyopic individuals. The purpose of this work has been the development of a game modification or “mod” using Unreal Tournament 2004 in order to combine conventional antisuppression therapy principles for amblyopia with the benefits rendered by action video games for visual recovery and binocularity in amblyopia. The game system involves a stereo display with a degraded image shown to the "good" eye and game event items shown only to the amblyopic eye. Reward and punishment in the game is partially based on attendance with the amblyopic eye. Current results from a trial with 4 subjects show that all subjects recovered visual acuity and reported a dramatic reduction in switching between eyes with training, and were able to use their eyes simultaneously. A large sample clinical study is currently underway to further assess game efficacy.