# Maximizing Visual Potential in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

> **NIH NIH R01** · SMITH-KETTLEWELL EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2020 · $394,450

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Age-related macular degeneration affects the central part of the visual field, which provides high acuity visual
function and serves as the reference point for eye movements. Thus difficulties with reading and with eye
movements are common complaints. Extensive research effort has been invested in understanding the causes
of reading difficulties in individuals with vision loss, leading to the development of optical devices and assistive
technology to alleviate the problem. However, much less attention has been paid to the obstacles central field
loss poses to tasks of daily living. Individuals complain about difficulty shopping for groceries, finding items at
home, following moving targets, performing eye-hand coordination tasks and navigating. Our goal is to develop
research methods to help patients with central vision loss learn to use their remaining vision effectively. We
believe that three factors underlie the difficulties that individuals with AMD confront while performing everyday
tasks. Firstly, most are unaware of the location of the region of vision loss (scotoma) and are therefore
unaware of objects obscured by the scotoma. To address this issue Aim 1 will investigate methods that teach
scotoma awareness and direct eye movements towards the scotoma to locate static objects that would
otherwise go undetected. Secondly, while individuals adopt a peripheral retinal locus when the fovea is
affected, the shift of the eye-movement reference to this new locus takes much longer. Thus they have
difficulty directing their gaze to objects of interest and tracking moving objects, particularly those moving
toward them, in depth. Aim 2 will use training tasks that help patients direct their PRLs to acquire and track
targets whose position and direction of motion are unpredictable, and to become aware that their scotoma
extends in depth, so that they can keep track of oncoming objects such as cars and bicyclists. Finally,
stereopsis can be impaired when the two eyes have very disparate patterns of vision loss, particularly when
the stronger eye determines binocular gaze direction, without regard to the functional status of the
corresponding fixation location in the other eye. To address this issue, Aim 3 will evaluate the potential for
coarse stereopsis in the peripheral part of the visual field to improve eye hand coordination in near space.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9873028
- **Project number:** 5R01EY027390-04
- **Recipient organization:** SMITH-KETTLEWELL EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Preeti Verghese
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $394,450
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-03-01 → 2021-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9873028

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9873028, Maximizing Visual Potential in Age-Related Macular Degeneration (5R01EY027390-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9873028. Licensed CC0.

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