Assessment of a visual aid for visually impaired paediatric patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing 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
IRAS ID
291155
Contact name
Anamika Tandon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Approximately 24,500 children and young people (CYP) in England have a visual impairment (VI). VI refers to a loss of vision that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
Low vision aids (e.g. magnifying glasses) can help CYP with a VI see more clearly. However, current low vision aids are not suitable for many of the activities CYP regularly engage in, such as watching TV or school lessons.
SightPlus is an advanced head-mounted digital low vision aid for CYP and adults. SightPlus helps people with a VI use their remaining vision to see more clearly up close and at a distance.
The study proposed here aims to find out whether SightPlus can improve the vision and quality of life of CYP aged 8-16 years with a VI.
For this study, 25 CYP will come to Sheffield Children’s Hospital (SCH) for an 80 minute session with parents/guardians where they will have their vision tested, complete questionnaires measuring their vision-related quality of life and functional vision (i.e. what someone can see), and learn how to use SightPlus.
CYP will then be asked to use SightPlus for four weeks. Parents/guardians will record the activities CYP use SightPlus for in a home diary.
After four weeks, CYP and their parents/guardians will come back to SCH for a 100 minute session where they will have their vision tested with and without SightPlus, complete another vision-related quality of life and functional vision questionnaire, hand in their home diary, and complete a feedback form about their experiences of using SightPlus.
This study will help us find out whether low vision aids like SightPlus can improve the vision and quality of life of CYP with a VI.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0078
Date of REC Opinion
17 Mar 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion