Simple test may detect vision loss

Boston -- Boston researchers have developed a simple and inexpensive way for patients with retinal and other eye disease to keep track of changes in their vision loss.

Dr. Peter Bex, associate scientist at Schepens Eye Research Institute in Boston demonstrated that a compelling visual illusion known as the induced twinkle after-effect, or TAE, can accurately identify the location and breadth of actual blind spots in people with retinal disease.

The study, published in the PLoS One, said the twinkle after-effect is a "twinkling" that people can see in a blind spot when they stare at a blank screen after staring at a noisy visual target such as a detuned television screen.

"Our hope is that we can make this simple technique available online or on a DVD," Bex said in a statement. "This will be particularly helpful with patients who have glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration."

Bex said many people fail to seek help when they develop blind spots in their vision, because their brains automatically compensate or "fill in" the missing information in their visual field, but the TAE is a simple tool that patients can use daily to detect any changes in their vision.

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