Understanding how vision loss affects driving in virtual reality

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This research aims to explore the effects of cortically-induced blindness on driving behaviors using a novel Virtual Reality (VR) program. Participants with visual field defects resulting from stroke will engage in a driving task within various simulated environments. The study will utilize computer vision and deep learning techniques to analyze how these individuals process visual information while steering. The central hypothesis is that changes in visually guided steering behaviors are linked to alterations in visual sampling and processing of motion information.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Cortically Blind Group:

Inclusion Criteria:

* Residents of the United States or Canada
* Presence of one-sided stroke or stroke-like damage to primary visual cortex or its immediate afferent white matter sustained within the specified age range of 21 - 75 years (verified by MRI and/or CT scans)
* Reliable visual field defects in both eyes (homonymous defects) as measured by Humphrey or equivalent perimetry.
* Willing, able, and competent to provide their own informed consent
* Cognitively able, responsible to understand written and oral instructions in English
* Emmetropic or else wear corrective contact lenses inside the virtual reality headset

Exclusion Criteria:

* Those who have never driven or earned a drivers' license
* Past or present ocular disease interfering with visual acuity
* Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) worse than 20/40 in either eye
* Sustained damage to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus
* Presence of diffuse, whole-brain degenerative processes
* Presence of brain damage deemed by study staff to potentially interfere with outcome measures
* History of traumatic brain injury
* Documented history of drug/alcohol abuse
* Diagnosis of cognitive or seizure disorders
* Diagnosis of one-sided attentional neglect

Control Group:

Inclusion Criteria:

* Normal or corrected-to-normal vision, who are between the ages of 21 and 75 years of age, roughly matched to the age of CB subjects enrolled above
* Competent and responsible, as determined by the Principal Investigator
* Willing, able, and competent to provide their own informed consent
* Normal cognitive abilities, be able to understand written and oral instructions in English
* Emmetropic or else wear corrective contact lenses inside the virtual reality headset

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects who have never driven or earned a drivers' license
* BCVA worse than 20/40 in either eye
* Presence of vision loss from ocular diseases or disorders
* Presence of a visual field defect
* Inability to wear corrective contact lenses inside the virtual reality helmet if required to see clearly
* Subjects with a history of neurological disorders
* Subjects with a history of TBI
* Persons who lack the competence or are otherwise unable to perform the visual testing as directed.

Where it's running

• University of Rochester
  Rochester, New York, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Evan Burr
• Email: Evan_Burr@URMC.Rochester.edu
• Phone: 585-275-5234

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• How vision can recover after an occipital stroke

  This project will use brain MRI and vision testing to see if patterns of residual brain tissue and prior or ongoing visual training relate to partial vision recovery in people with occipital stroke and homonymous field loss.

  Recruiting University of Rochester · Rochester, New York · NCT07134777

• Visual retraining after stroke

  We will try an intensive home-based visual retraining program for adults with cortical vision loss after stroke to see if it improves visual perception and everyday use of vision.

  Recruiting University of Rochester · Rochester, New York · NCT06121219

• Home-based vision training guided by brain imaging

  This study tests whether at‑home, image-guided visual training can improve visual field function for adults with stroke-related vision loss.

  Recruiting Georgetown University · Washington D.C., District of Columbia · NCT07635329

• Improving vision after brain injury

  It tests whether gentle brain stimulation (transcranial random noise stimulation) plus visual training can help adults with homonymous hemianopia regain some of their lost visual field.

  Recruiting Georgetown University · Washington D.C., District of Columbia · NCT07105358

• Emergency Stroke Unit for treating acute strokes

  This study is testing a new Emergency Stroke Unit that uses a mobile MRI to see if it can help treat stroke patients faster and improve their recovery.

  Recruiting Chinese University of Hong Kong · Hong Kong · NCT06728592

• Improving vision in stroke or brain injury patients with hemianopsia

  This study is testing if using a special PowerPoint slide set can help people with vision loss from stroke or brain injury see better.

  Recruiting University of Alberta · Edmonton, Alberta · NCT06241209

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.