Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Spring 5-31-2019

Degree Name

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering - (M.S.)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Tara L. Alvarez

Second Advisor

Xiaobo Li

Third Advisor

Elio M. Santos

Fourth Advisor

Mitchell Scheiman

Abstract

Vergence is the disjunctive movement of the eyes to maintain single binocular vision. Vergence eye movements are necessary to maintain the object of interest on the fovea of each eye as an individual looks from one object to another. Recent studies show that office based vergence/accommodative therapy (OBVAT) is an effective treatment for the binocular dysfunction known as convergence insufficiency. This study was performed to investigate the changes in oculomotor parameters parameter data for pre- and post-therapy subjects who are binocularly normal controls. A haploscope was used to collect eye movement data pre- and post-therapy. The analysis of the eye movements was done in MATLAB. Fifty binocularly normal controls participated in 12 hours of office-based therapy where half participated in OBVAT and the remaining half participated in office-based placebo therapy (OBPT) therapy. The latency, time to peak velocity, peak velocity, response amplitude, final amplitude, and main sequence ratio were measured for participant’s responses to 4-degree and 6-degree ramps, 4- and 6-degree disappearing steps, 6- and 10-degree stepramps, and 5- and 10-degree saccades. Peak velocity was significantly greater post OBVAT therapy compared to baseline, most of them having a p≤.001. Clinically meaning differences were not observed post OVPT compared to baseline. Results support that OBVAT significantly changes vergence dynamics and may be used for sports enhancement.

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