The Need

Amblyopia, more commonly known as "lazy eye", is one of the most common cause of visual impairment among children, affecting about three out of every 100, and unless it is successfully treated early, it will usually persist into adulthood. Amblyopia is a result from an abnormal development of the visual cortex, which cannot be corrected by glasses. Even though there is a therapy for amblyopia, one third of the children taking the therapy do not gain any substantial improvements, and this therapy is also ineffective for adults. Therefore, a new, more efficient way of treating amblyopia is essential for the wellbeing of patients.

The Technology

Researchers at The Ohio State University, led by Dr. Zhong-Lin Lu, created a new therapy software that can more effectively treat amblyopia. This therapy involves a multitude of steps, with one of the first ones being a measurement of the patient's visual acuity and contrast sensitivity functions in both eyes, along with the stereo acuity before and after the training. The training is determined by the specific level of visual impairment in the patient, and the training is then readjusted for changes in the impairment. However, to accurately create a specialized training session, the software will start with a basic session for everyone.

Commercial Applications

• Hospitals
• Ophthalmologist's office
• Visual impairment treatment methodology

Benefits/Advantages

• More effective than conventional methods
• The device is portable