Eyetracking and Neurovision Rehabilitation of Oculomotor Dysfunction in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

The purpose of this single center, longitudinal, pilot study is to provide evidence for the use of an eye tracking system as an objective tool to identify mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) related oculomotor dysfunction (OMD) and predict the effectiveness of neurovision rehabilitation (NVR) of OMD. Eye tracking visual stimulus measurements will be compared to objective developmental optometrist (OD) diagnosis and assessments. It will be determined whether an eye tracking system can predict the presence or absence of mTBI related OMD and whether mTBI patients who have OMD based on the eye tracking system will respond positively to NVR.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Brain Concussion; Mild Traumatic Brain Injury; Convergence Insufficiency; Accommodative Insufficiency; Saccadic Eye Movement Deficiency; Oculomotor Dysfunction

Detailed Description

The primary objectives are: 1) To demonstrate that measurements from visual stimulus and eye tracking system will predict the presence or absence of traumatic brain injury related vision disorder, i.e. oculomotor dysfunction (OMD) as diagnosed by a developmental optometrist (OD). 2) To use the eye tracking visual measurements to predict the effectiveness of neurovision rehabilitation (NVR) on post-traumatic OMD by comparing the data obtained to the objective visual measurements found on the OD examination.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) that alters brain function is a major public health concern of significant personal and societal burden. Mild traumatic brain injury patients may experience any or all of at least 20 symptoms, with some persisting for weeks to months and increasing the risk of comorbidities. Current mTBI diagnosis and treatment are subjective and imprecise rather than objective and patient specific. Despite the varied heterogeneous manifestations of mTBI based on location and severity of injury as well as predisposing factors, treatment is generic and lacking in active therapies: rest with the avoidance of devices/screens to avoid exacerbating symptoms. This "one size fits all" approach is suboptimal, often resulting in ineffective management with prolonged inadequate recovery. Recent evidence suggests effective therapies to be specific to the mTBI patient and their symptoms with promising interventions targeting vestibular deficits as well as post-TBI OMD NVR. Neurovision rehabilitation is analogous to physical therapy for the eyes and improves the connection between the brain and the eyes with prior research finding NVR to be very effective for patients with post-concussion visual dysfunctions. Patients with potential mTBI primarily present to the emergency department, primary care, or specialty clinic, where there lacks proper equipment, training, and time for a comprehensive vision examination. Additionally, identification and diagnosis of OMD is only conducted currently by a vision specialist or highly skilled TBI specialists. This leaves a majority of OMD patients with inappropriate diagnosis and inadequate work or school accommodations as well as without treatment with NVR, lenses, and prisms. Thus an objective, easily accessible tool to identify mTBI related OMD would greatly advance clinical care.

This trial is a single center, longitudinal, pilot study. One hundred mTBI patients with OMD, confirmed with objective testing by a OD, who fit inclusion/exclusion criteria will be initially identified by providers at the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) TBI Clinic. No subject will be excluded on the basis of sex/gender, race or ethnicity. If interested, subjects will be consented then undergo an initial eye tracking. Within two weeks of the initial eye tracking, subjects will begin recommended NVR with occupational therapists (OT) at HCMC. Each NVR session will assess each subject's progress and following each NVR session, subjects will receive an eye tracking test. Additionally, within two months of the initial OMD diagnosis patients will follow up with the OD every two months until their OMD is resolved or until one year following their diagnosis. Subjects will also undergo an eye tracking test after each OD follow up appointment. Eye tracking visual stimulus measurements will be compared to OD diagnostic measurements and assessments.

The goals of this research study are to improve objective, timely identification of mTBI related visual dysfunctions and assessment of the effectiveness of NVR. A positive outcome will greatly impact diagnosis and care of mTBI patients with vision dysfunction, as objective assessments will be more widely and readily available and NVR will be more utilized by the medical community. Overall post-mTBI functional outcomes will improve, significantly lessening this major public health concern affecting patients, families, communities, and society.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 92

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55404
      • Hennepin County Medical Center Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 13 years to 55 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Mild traumatic brain injury patients who meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (Glasgow Coma Scale ≥ 13)
• Post traumatic amnesia < 24 hours
• Diagnosed with oculomotor dysfunction by developmental optometrist and neurovision rehabilitation recommended
• Time of traumatic brain injury ≤ 2 years
• Informed consent obtained

Exclusion Criteria:

• Glasgow Coma Scale < 13
• Age < 13 years and > 55 years
• Time of traumatic brain injury > 2 years
• Cranial nerve II, III, IV, or VI palsy
• History of strabismus
• Monocular vision, including Lasik surgery for monofixation
• Taking medications known to interfere with visual process/recovery
• Taking illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, etc.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Control
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Oculomotor Dysfunction; This group consists of subjects with mTBI who have been diagnosed with OMD by objective OD measurements. These subjects will undergo neurovision rehabilitation used to treat oculomotor dysfunction following traumatic brain injury per usual clinical standard of care at the HCMC TBI Clinic.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Eye Tracker as an Objective Tool for "Yes/No" Assessment of Oculomotor Dysfunction Presence	Eye tracker metrics of oculomotor dysfunction as compared to objective developmental optometry diagnostic measurements.	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Eye Tracking Visual Measurements as Objective Predictor of Neurovision Rehabilitation Effectiveness	Eye tracker metrics of oculomotor dysfunction status throughout neurovision rehabilitation as compared to objective developmental optometry follow up measurements and eye therapy exercise findings.	12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Sarah Rockswold, MD, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 18, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 21, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): August 21, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 19, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 19, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): October 24, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 19, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 16, 2020
• Last Verified: October 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Eye Diseases; Craniocerebral Trauma; Trauma, Nervous System; Cranial Nerve Diseases; Head Injuries, Closed; Wounds, Nonpenetrating; Brain Injuries; Wounds and Injuries; Brain Injuries, Traumatic; Brain Concussion; Ocular Motility Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: HSR#17-4409

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No