An evidence based assessment of rehabilitation strategies appropriate to persons with macular vision loss: functional outcomes and comparaitve cost analysis.

INTERVENTION: The duration of the study was 8 weeks. Each training session lasted approximately 1 hour, spaced 1 week apart for the 8 study weeks. Participants were divided into 4 study groups. Group 1 received training in the use of magnification aids, with up to 3 sessions during the study, with a telephone call from the researcher during the weeks when there was no training. Each telephone call lasted approximately 15 minutes. Group 2 received training in eccentric viewing (a method of moving the eyes in a different direction in order to use remaining healthy retina to look at objects in the visual field), Group 3 received both magnification and eccentric viewing and Group 4 did not receive any vision rehabilitation for the duration of the study, except for a weekly telephone call from the researcher lasting approximately 15 minutes. This part added according to your query note: The form of training varied from weekly sessions in person to telephone contact only. • The Magnification group received assessment and instruction in the use of magnification over three formal sessions with the researcher. For the remainder of the program these participants were telephoned on a weekly basis to discuss use of the magnifier. • The Eccentric Viewing group received eight training sessions in eccentric viewing. Eight training sessions was chosen, as pilot‐study data indicated that initially patients demonstrate an improvement with eccentric viewing but this progress stalls at session 4 or 5 (Vukicevic and Fitzmaurice, 2002) Persistence beyond this plateau results in continued improvement if eccentric viewing training continues beyond 6 sessions. • The Combination group received both magnification and training in eccentric viewing as per group 1 and 2. CONDITION: Macular degeneration Macular vision loss Vision impairment PRIMARY OUTCOME: Reading parameters including: ; * Near print size (tested using the Bailey‐Lovie Word Reading Chart) ; * Reading speed and comprehension (tested using the PAT‐R reading and copmrehension test, devleoped by the Australian Council for Educational Research) SECONDARY OUTCOME: Performace of activities of daily living (tested using the Melbourne Activities of Daily Living Index) INCLUSION CRITERIA: • Generally healthy persons, aged 50 years and over. • Legal blindness according to Australian Social Security classifications, which equates to a level of acuity of 6/60 or less, fully corrected in the better eye. • A diagnosis of age‐related macular degeneration, Stargardt disease or any other ocular disorder resulting in profound macular vision loss with an absolute central scotoma, present bilaterally, for which no further ophthalmological treatment was available, as determined by an ophthalmologist.