Simulating Macular Degeneration to Investigate Activities of Daily Living: A Systematic Review

Purpose: Investigating difficulties during activities of daily living is a fundamental first step for the development of vision-related intervention and rehabilitation strategies. One way to do this is through visual impairment simulations. The aim of this review is to synthesize and assess the types of simulation methods that have been used to simulate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in normally sighted participants, during activities of daily living (e.g., reading, cleaning, and cooking).Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in five databases and a critical analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of various AMD simulation methods (following PRISMA guidelines). The review focuses on the suitability of each method for investigating activities of daily living, an assessment of clinical validation procedures, and an evaluation of the adaptation periods for participants.Results: Nineteen studies met the criteria for inclusion. Contact lenses, computer manipulations, gaze contingent displays, and simulation glasses were the main forms of AMD simulation identified. The use of validation and adaptation procedures were reported in approximately two-thirds and half of studies, respectively.Conclusions: Synthesis of the methodology demonstrated that the choice of simulation has been, and should continue to be, guided by the nature of the study. While simulations may never completely replicate vision loss experienced during AMD, consistency in simulation methodology is critical for generating realistic behavioral responses under vision impairment simulation and limiting the influence of confounding factors. Researchers could also come to a consensus regarding the length and form of adaptation by exploring what is an adequate amount of time and type of training required to acclimatize participants to vision impairment simulations

The psychological impact of instrumental activities of daily living on people with simulated age-related macular degeneration

BACKGROUND: People with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can report reduced mental health. There is also evidence that they struggle with daily tasks because of vision loss. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological impact of instrumental activities of daily living on people with simulated AMD. METHOD: Twenty-four normally sighted participants completed 12 household tasks, in a simulated home environment, under a moderate-to-severe AMD simulation. Participants’ psychological state was measured through self-report questionnaires and physiological measurements related to anxiety and stress. Tasks were completed twice, under counterbalanced vision conditions (normal and simulated AMD). RESULTS: Linear mixed models on vision condition (normal versus simulated AMD) and trial order (trial 1 versus trial 2) revealed a significant large negative effect of the AMD simulation on time to complete tasks, and the anxiety, task engagement and distress self-reports (all P 0.177). There were also significant medium-large effects of trial order on time, task incompletion, task errors, and the anxiety and task engagement self-reports (all P 0.130), whereby the results improved during the second attempt at the tasks. No physiological measures were significant (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Completing instrumental activities of daily living under an AMD simulation had a negative impact on participants’ self-reported mental state. The observed trial order effects also illuminated how practice with tasks could ease anxiety and stress over time

Motivation moderates gender differences in navigation performance.

Gender differences in navigation performance are a recurrent and controversial topic. Previous research suggests that men outperform women in navigation tasks and that men and women exhibit different navigation strategies. Here, we investigate whether motivation to complete the task moderates the relationship between navigation performance and gender. Participants learned the locations of landmarks in a novel virtual city. During learning, participants could trigger a top-down map that depicted their current position and the locations of the landmarks. During testing, participants were divided into control and treatment groups and were not allowed to consult the map. All participants were given 16 minutes to navigate to the landmarks, but those in the treatment group were monetarily penalized for every second they spent completing the task. Results revealed a negative relationship between physiological arousal and the time required to locate the landmarks. In addition, gender differences in strategy were found during learning, with women spending more time with the map and taking 40% longer than men to locate the landmarks. Interestingly, an interaction between gender and treatment group revealed that women in the control group required more time than men and women in the treatment group to retrieve the landmarks. During testing, women in the control group also took more circuitous routes compared to men in the control group and women in the treatment group. These results suggest that a concurrent and relevant stressor can motivate women to perform similarly to men, helping to diminish pervasive gender differences found in the navigation literature