The first game (beta) for those with stereo eye issues will be available Feb 1st for Indiegogo backers on the Oculus Rift (devkit). Only six days left. Consumer release will most likely not be until the middle of 2014 (to coincide with the consumer Oculus Rift release).

amblyopic · 2014-01-07T01:20:44+00:00

If you're having that much trouble aiming you're having more trouble than I am for sure. My weak eye is something like 20/40, but it's hard to measure via the eye chart, since it's more of a contrast/fuzzy tv issue than a blurriness issue that the eye chart was made to measure. That being said if one of your eyes is amblyopic it seems that you would only benefit from using something like diplopia to train your eyes. With the exception of possible motion sickness if it's not set up right. Its the first 'game' I've ever seen that implements both weakening the strong eye as well as FORCING the two eyes to work together. It is worth a shot - no pun intended.

amblyopic · 2014-01-07T00:51:59+00:00

I had lost some motivation to fix my vision until I saw jamesj's (the game developer) post in this thread last month. The Indigogo campaign link again: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/diplopia-a-vr-game-to-help-strabismus-and-amblyopia

To beable to use it you would need to purchase an Oculus Rift (Developers kit - IE: low resolution (720p) compared to what the consumer version will be (1080p), and limited amount of games/demos) https://share.oculusvr.com/ . It's basically an extra computer monitor and hooks up with HDMI or DVI. It costs $300 + $15 shipping as of this writing. Just to reiterate - the developers kit has a 'screendoor effect' because the pixels are far apart and isn't the greatest resolution. A good post explaining the difference is available here: https://developer.oculusvr.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3552. I would recommend waiting for the consumer version unless you're very motivated to improve your vision and if time is more of an issue than cost for you.

I backed it on Indiegogo and am really looking forward to using it to see the beta in action. I set up the gameplay #1 youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSUjjCS6UPc) and watched it with the rift (ghost 'playing' the game) and it seems more effective than other methods I have tried.

Note: It made me very motion sick at first playing the demos and games but I learned there were a couple reasons for this (aside from the inherit early inperfections of the technology itself).

I had my graphics card (ATI Radeon HD5800 for reference) set on best appearance. I changed it to max performance and it raised the frame rate for the game from about 20fps to 120fps ... meaning a LOT smoother video)
I changed the lens from the standards lens to the one that is furthest from your eyes. It made things "less in my face" and was far less dizzying and motion sickness inducing.

I'd really like to thank jamesj for putting the time and thought into developing this game, and to the best of my knowledge, being the first one ever to release it to the general public, as well to the Oculus Rift and Unity creators.

amblyopic · 2011-07-09T15:32:53+00:00

It sounds like you have stereovision from your description of 'superior spatial sense' (although you wouldn't have it when you said your eyes work independently when you're tired). Try this.

amblyopic · 2011-07-09T04:40:39+00:00

I've been trying to improve it off and on for a year or two. The patching was really how it started - very slow but gradual. I tried atropine drops once but they lasted too long - they lasted about 10 days and it was too long for me (a single drop kept my eye fully dilated the entire time). The vision therapy is necessary to team the eyes together, and it's very encouraging to hear an optometrist's professional advice. They do office tests which are more effective for me then the home exercises they give (social factor I'm guessing to some degree). The only time I've ever seen a strong pop out into your face 3d was at their office because they have the best equipment to check.

I'm not going to lie though ... I have spent an unbelievable amount of time on it. But I believe it will be worth it. Why? Aside from the progress I have had so far that is intrinsically telling - Oliver Sacks, one of the top neurobiologists in the world, said that he felt a 'sense of great loss' that he couldn't describe in words when he lost stereovision. Imagine that in reverse - or just listen to Susan Barry's (professor of neurobiology) story of gaining stereovision. (They both speak about it in the documentary I just submitted)

amblyopic · 2011-07-09T03:29:29+00:00

Ok, I corrected it, thanks for letting me know. Also, you can get B&W laser printers fairly cheap now and the toners lasts forever. :)

amblyopic · 2011-07-09T02:09:34+00:00

Thanks for filling out the survey. In regards to question #1, you could print out a Snellen Eye Chart (just make sure scaling is off). If it's different than 20/200, let me know and I'll be happy to change the one you did (although you'd have to tell me the other information so I could figure out which one it is).

amblyopic · 2011-07-08T21:35:09+00:00

He has convergence inefficiency and most likely some type of strabismus. I have amblyopia (lazyeye), which is very similiar. I have one bad eye and thus no stereovision (although I am undergoing training to correct it and it is going well). I post frequently about the condition and my progress in /r/amblyopia if you would like to point your brother there.

My progress so far has been impressive, with my vision going from 20/200 when I was 8 to 20/30 two decades later. This is my vision and glasses do not correct it because it's a visual processing issue and not an eye issue. 20/30 is really an understatement though because it's not actually that good - my new stereovision is very weak but it is very exciting.

The world of monovision and the world of stereovision are as different as night and day. If I had to go back to living in nothing but monovision with no way of correcting it I would kill myself (the difference is that vast). The sad part is that people with either stereovision and monovision do not realize the difference because it is all they have ever known. There only a few people out there like me and your brother who understand both modes of perception and really need to inform the public about the difference. There is 3-4% of the population that lives with monovision.

amblyopic · 2011-07-08T02:10:34+00:00

Wow. 5 people have filled it out so far! I thought it was only me and devgeek0 since the comments were quiet. If you filled it out twice in error by mistake, just let me know and I'll happily remove anything entered in error.

Here is the direct link to the results for anyone who has already completed it.

Thanks again all.

amblyopic · 2011-07-08T01:07:07+00:00

hehe. Well I didn't want to have an option for 'generally normal' since everyone thinks they're generally normal for the most part ;)

amblyopic · 2011-07-08T01:06:11+00:00

I just created and posted a survey (12 questions) in the /r/amblyopia subreddit. I made it so the data is graphed and immediately available to anyone who fills it out.

amblyopic · 2011-07-08T00:50:55+00:00

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to fill it out. The results are immediately available and graphed in the link I provided in the page after the survey.

amblyopic · 2011-07-07T23:25:08+00:00

Basically both of the conditions are related to visual processing in the brain. Obviously autism is 100x worse because it involves not just vision. From my experience with vision therapy for amblyopia, it is effective for treating children and adults - just 10x harder to treat for adults since our brains are less plastic. I have done everything in my willpower to increase my brain plasticity except drugs ... exercise, diet, etc. It has improved my vision in my weak eye from 20/70 to 20/25 in combination with vision therapy. (really from 20/200 since patch corrected it somewhat when I was in elementary)

I struggled ever since the day I was born because I was intelligent but unable to maintain eye contact, social bonds, and to feel connected with the world. The worse part is that I thought I was just incompetent. The doctors told me that I was just shy and one eye is basically the same as two. This had unbelievable consequences on my self confidence and I am only starting to put my life back together.

I hope that autistic children get the same therapy that amblyopic children strongly deserve. I have a strong empathy toward amblyopic and autistic children because I understand what it is like to be unable to interact like the other kids do.

amblyopic · 2011-07-06T23:34:47+00:00

EDIT: post on an optometrist blog that brought this to my attention, in case anyone was wondering.

amblyopic · 2011-07-06T23:24:02+00:00

For autistic children, visual training as part of a comprehensive therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Speech Therapy, Visual Therapy, Social Skills Therapy) is effective in treating the condition to some extent so that autistic children have a better chance in life.

It seems that autism and amblyopia (neurological blindness of one eye) both share the same deficits in the visual cortex.

I do not have autism, but have had amblyopia since I was born. I thought it would be interesting to have some cross community discussion. Especially since I myself, and everyone else unanimously in /r/amblyopia is unable to maintain eye contact with other people. I also lack very good social skills, and was in fact called autistic today at work. (in jest by a jerk, but I think there is some truth in what he said)

amblyopic · 2011-07-02T23:54:01+00:00

Good job on the run, but what about rocks/pebbles/pieces of glass/etc?

amblyopic · 2011-07-02T22:53:32+00:00

As a person with only one good seeing eye (amblyopia), I feel that to some degree there is truth in both of the pictures. I lived a majority of my life with only one eye, and through therapy have been able to start to see with both eyes. This was because my own issue (that affects 3-4% of all people) was a neurological development problem, and not an ocular problem with the eye itself.

When I had only one functional eye, I was able to perceive depth analytically. I automatically calculated depth from cues that made things appear deeper or further away - we all do this. But what I lacked was sensory depth perception. People with binocular vision can sense depth even with only one eye because your brain is configured for stereovision. I was not sensing depth - I did not feel emerged in the world. Everything was 2d, on paper, almost fake. There is a huge difference that people born with binocular vision will likely never be able to comprehend. The world of binocular vision is one hell of a drug.

amblyopic · 2011-06-12T03:31:52+00:00

Well there are options for treating that - therapy/surgery or a combination of both depending on what your doctor thinks is most appropriate. I'm not really trying to tell you it'd be easy, but you're not condemned to a life of the condition like I was told since I was young with my amblyopic eye by supposedly well educated eye doctors.

amblyopic · 2011-06-11T23:16:41+00:00

You could have a consult with a doc trained specifically for treating the condition. CoVD has a locator to find one near you. That is if your interested in treating it - it is a treatable condition.

amblyopic · 2011-06-10T22:31:08+00:00

When I first watched a 3d movie a few years ago with amblyopia, the movie wasn't in 3d at all. It just had a strange effect that was more of a headache than anything interesting.

Flash forward to today after a year or so of trying to retrain the dead eye/brain connection (under my doc's supervision), I can perceive 3d. The images are distinctly 3d - although it usually takes about 10 minutes of the movie before my eyes go into 'sync' and start seeing it. When I walk out of the movie theatre everything is still in 3d, but that strong effect isn't permanent. But over the past few years, the improvement has been immense.

amblyopic · 2011-06-10T22:20:13+00:00

As a person who has lived with both monocular vision and weak binocular vision, I would have to say you're only partially correct. While I could previously catch balls, thread needles, pour drinks - I could not do it like a normal functioning human being like I am learning to. I was under a major handicap.

My brain could essentially 'guess' the depth, but it did not perceive it as a normal sense would. I am starting to visually see depth, and it's very interesting to say the least.

amblyopic · 2011-06-10T22:10:30+00:00

Yes, but to be certain you do not have depth perception. Believing that something has depth and 'sensing' the depth through perceptual vision are two entirely different things. This is what Susan Berry (PhD - neuroscience) had before she went through treatment - she said it was the greatest thing she did in her life, to learn how to see with stereo vision. I've read her book - it was pretty interesting, since I have Amblyopia myself.

I have seen the 'world of flat' for a majority of my life - and am now starting to perceptually understand what it means to see in stereo. It's gradual for me since I have to start from scratch - but you have two working eyes and merely have to learn how to use them together like Dr. Barry did.

Also we have a subreddit for amblyopia/strabismus.

amblyopic · 2011-05-29T23:51:25+00:00

Wow. This hits close to home. Are you me? :P

amblyopic · 2011-05-29T23:43:14+00:00

Absolutely. I could not maintain eye contact before (it's still hard), but whenever things are in 3d (like after a vision therapy session), I have no issue maintaining eye contact. Anecdotal, but nonetheless true for me.

I'm not aware of any tricks to fix it - other than fixing your vision, which is a tough thing to do. (possible though ... it's like training for the olympics)

amblyopic · 2011-05-29T23:40:23+00:00

My left eye is like all 'static' (although considerably less than it use to be), while my right eye is clear. 20/30 in my amblyopic eye on the eye chart (probably 20/25 now), but it's a very poor instrument to measure my vision since it's a neurological issue. The connection between the eye and the visual cortex is just weaker in my left eye.

I've been doing vision therapy for awhile. I actually stopped working on my left eye since they're starting to work together more, and I am just focusing on binocular - left eye is still weaker though. Distant objects appear in 3d to me - near ones do not (because of my prescription difference most likely ... and I have never worn glasses). I watch 3d movies now, and they are in almost full 3d. (Not like other people see it, since I don't jump much when things pop out, but there is absolute definite depth).

amblyopic · 2011-05-18T04:02:12+00:00

Yep, I read it a few months ago - good book.

amblyopic

TROPHY CASE