A Feasibility Study on a Portable Vision Device for Patients with Stroke and Brain Tumours

ABSTRACT

This prospective, single-centre cohort study aimed to evaluate the impact of a portable vision reading device, OrCam Read, on vision-related quality-of-life and independent functional status in patients with low vision due to stroke or brain tumours. Six patients with poor visual acuity or visual field defects due to a stroke or a brain tumour were enrolled at a U.S. Ophthalmology Department. Participants were trained to use OrCam Read and given a loaner device for the 1 month duration of the study. Various assessments, including daily function tests, the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25, and the 10-item neuro-ophthalmic supplement, were administered at the first and last visits. Patients’ experience with the device was evaluated with weekly telephone and end-of-study satisfaction surveys. The main outcome measures were the patient satisfaction with OrCam and the mean assessment scores between enrolment and final visits. The intervention with OrCam significantly improved patients’ ability to complete daily tasks and participants reported good satisfaction with the device. The results also show non-significant improvement with distant activities, dependency, and role difficulties. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of studying vision-related quality-of-life using a portable vision device in this patient population and pave the way for a larger study to validate the results of this study.

KEYWORDS:

• Low vision
• portable vision device
• vision-related quality of life
• stroke
• brain tumour
• visual field defect

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Robert O’Donnell for his critical review of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

Barrios A and Chokshi T were supported by training funds from the J. William Kohl Summer Scholarship for Medical Students. Dr. Yin Allison Liu is supported in part by the UC Davis School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship for career development.