COmputer Games for Amblyopia Study (COGAS), Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility of a randomised controlled trial to compare computer game play with close work during occlusion in children aged 2-7 years with amblyopia.
IRAS ID
206330
Contact name
Catherine Jukes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Central Lancashire
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 0 days
Research summary
Feasibility of a randomised controlled trial to compare computer game play with close work during occlusion in children aged 2-7 years with amblyopia.
Amblyopia (lazy eye) is the most common monocular visual impairment in the western world effecting 2-5% of the population. This reduced vision will not improve without treatment, limiting career choices and increasing the risk of future visual impairment. Occluding (patching) the better eye for 2 hours a day is an effective way to improve amblyopia in children under 8 years old.
Stimulation of the amblyopic eye using computerised techniques has been shown to improve vision in children and adults. There have been no randomised controlled trials to compare computer game play to close work during occlusion in children. If playing computer games during occlusion stimulates visual development more quickly or effectively than close work it may reduce treatment time, improve visual outcomes, and reduce the cost to the NHS.
40 children aged 2-7 years with amblyopia will be randomised with equal probability to either play computer games, or perform close work for 1 hour during a 2 hour occlusion period daily. An orthoptist unaware of the assigned treatment will retest their vision after 7 weeks. The main outcome measure is change in vision in the amblyopic eye.
The aim of this feasibility study is to evaluate the design of the trial, enrolment and early indications of the visual outcomes. This will inform the design of a larger randomised controlled trial.
This study is being conducted during a research internship at the University of Central Lancashire. It will be conducted at Blackpool Teaching Hospital Orthoptic department. Design of this study began in February 2016, and the planned completion date is June 2017.
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1496
Date of REC Opinion
25 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion