Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Code:

NCT05454124

Conditions

Central Visual Impairment

Macular Degeneration

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Training visual sensitivity

Combination training

Study Details

Brief summary:

A greater understanding of plasticity after central vision loss can inform new therapies for treating low vision and has the potential to benefit millions of individuals suffering from low vision. The treatment of low vision is particularly relevant to the mission of the NEI to support research on visual disorders, mechanisms of visual function, and preservation of sight. The comparison of different training and outcome factors is in line with the NIMH RDOC framework and studies in an aging population are consistent with the mission of the NIA.

Conditions

Central Visual Impairment

Macular Degeneration

Study ID

NCT05454124

Start date

Nov 1, 2022

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Nov, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 18-89
  • Severely impaired vision in both eyes (20/100 or worse)
  • diagnosis of Macular Degeneration by an Ophthalmologist
  • Light sensitivity in the macular retina that is at least 10 dB units worse than in peripheral regions, as demonstrated by a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (MAIA)
  • Medical record review indicating this level of disease severity has been present for at least 2 years
  • Reside within 50 miles of study site

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pacemaker or any ferromagnetic metal implanted in their body
  • Metal of any type implanted in their head (limited dental work is acceptable)
  • Claustrophobia
  • Being hearing-impaired
  • Weight over 300 pounds
  • Maximum body girth over 60 inches
  • Previous serious head injury
  • Presence of hallucinations or delusions
  • Excessive old, or colorful tattoos, especially near the head
  • Pregnancy
  • Braces/permanent retainer

Study Design

Enrollment

60 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Training visual sensitivity

A standard Perceptual Learning approach to train early visual processes of discriminating the orientation of Gabor patches presented at threshold- level contrast. Preliminary data, using this method, in normally seeing and MD participants show both feasibility and preliminary evidence that this training gives rise to improvements in acuity.

experimental: Combination training

In combination training, investigators test the extent to which a combined training gives rise to the joint benefits of each training individually, or integrative benefits potentially surpassing benefits of the individual training alone. The visual sensitivity task will alternate across blocks with the spatial integration task, using the timing of targets and location switches from spatial attention training.

Interventions

Training visual sensitivity

Investigators adopt a standard PL approach to train early visual processes of discriminating the orientation of Gabor patches presented at threshold contrast. Across training blocks, Gabors will range in spatial frequency, where contrast is adapted with a 3/1 staircase. Whenever a specific contrast threshold is reached, spatial frequency will increase by 2 cycles per degree and contrast will be reset. Preliminary data from this method in normally seeing and MD participants show both feasibility and tentative evidence that this training gives rise to improvements in acuity.

Combination training

Daily tasks involve a combination of being sensitive to basic visual features, being able to integrate these features, and directing attention and eye movements to better evaluate the information of potential interest. To address this integrative nature of real-world vision, this condition combines elements of training visual sensitivity, spatial integration, and spatial attention.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change from Baseline Radial Bias from the Crowding Task after completion of Training at approximately 7 weeks [ Time Frame: Baseline and Within 3 weeks of training completion, training is complete 7 weeks from baseline on average ]
  • Change from Baseline Saccadic Precision after Completion of Training at approximately 7 weeks [ Time Frame: Baseline and Within 3 weeks of training completion, training is complete 7 weeks from baseline on average ]
  • Change from Baseline Fixation Stability after Completion of Training at approximately 7 weeks [ Time Frame: Baseline and Within 3 weeks of training completion, training is complete 7 weeks from baseline on average ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Rachel A Chua, MS

205-410-4041r2chel@uab.edu

Kristina M Visscher, PhD

205-934-0497kmv@uab.edu

Locations

UAB

Recruiting

Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294

Contacts

Rachel A Chua, MS

205-410-4041r2chel@uab.edu

Kristina M Visscher, PhD

205-934-0497kmv@uab.edu

Principal Investigator:

Kristina M Visscher, Ph.D.

More Information

Sponsor

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Last update posted

Feb 9, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

  • plasticity
  • central vision loss
  • perceptual learning

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Alabama at Birmingham on 2026-02-09.