Oculomotor Training for Poor Saccades Improves Functional Vision Scores and Neurobehavioral Symptoms

Abstract Objectives To determine if participants with saccadic dysfunction improved after participating in a standardized oculomotor training program. A secondary objective was to accurately quantify change in saccades after training using eye tracking technology. A third objective was to examine patients’ neurobehavioral symptoms before and after oculomotor training using the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI). Design A prospective study involving treatment and control group pre-post intervention design. Setting Data were collected in eye clinics with a standardized eye tracking equipment set up. Participants Participants in the bottom 25th percentile for saccadic eye movements (n=92; intervention = 46, control = 46) who were currently asymptomatic of specific disorder. Interventions Participants were randomly assigned to the control or intervention group. The intervention group engaged in 10 minutes of oculomotor training daily, for 5 days. Main Outcome Measures The ratio of the peak saccadic velocity over its average velocity (the Q-ratio), saccadic targeting, NSI. Results Results revealed significant interactions between control and intervention groups (p = .013). The Control Group increased 7% from pre to post; however, the intervention group exhibited a 6% decreased from pre to post. Participants in the intervention group demonstrated a 25% improvement in targeting saccade accuracy (p = .021). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in all neurobehavioral factors on the NSI in the intervention group – specifically the affective and cognitive factors relating to poor saccades. Conclusion For this population, oculomotor training (Q-ratio and saccade accuracy) resulted improved saccadic metrics and a significant reduction in overall symptoms as shown on the NSI. Future participants reported improved symptoms pre- and post- interventions. Further research is needed to understand saccadic performance and gaze stability during specific tasks (such as reading).