Occupational Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Travel: May Be Covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Phase < 1
Recruiting
Sponsor: MCPHS University
Disqualifiers: Other age related eye diseases
No Placebo Group
Approved in 3 Jurisdictions
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if education about additional task lighting, enhanced contrast, enlarged print instructions, smart apps and organizational strategies will improve medication management skills. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does additional task lighting, enhanced contrast, enlarged print instructions, smart apps and organizational strategies improve medication management skills, reduce errors and improve functional use of remaining vision for this task?
Participants will:
Oftentimes, the client is unaware of these strategies which may improve occupational performance during a valued activity. Clients with AMD who choose to receive the one hour OT service will be provided with 1:1 education regarding the devices and strategies that may improve their ability to perform medication management skills.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems to focus on improving how you manage your medications rather than changing them.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Occupational Therapy Interventions for Low Vision Care for Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
Research shows that occupational therapy interventions, especially those using a multicomponent approach, are effective in helping older adults with low vision improve their ability to perform daily activities at home. Additionally, combining behavioral activation with low vision rehabilitation has been found to improve visual function in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
12345Is occupational therapy for low vision safe for humans?
The research does not specifically address safety concerns, but occupational therapy for low vision is generally considered safe as it focuses on teaching skills and using devices to help people with vision loss manage daily activities.
24678How is occupational therapy for age-related macular degeneration different from other treatments?
Occupational therapy for age-related macular degeneration focuses on improving daily living skills and independence through the use of vision-enhancing devices and adaptive equipment, rather than directly treating the eye condition itself. This approach is unique because it combines practical tools and patient education to help individuals adapt to vision loss, enhancing their quality of life.
2691011Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for individuals with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who are receiving eye care services at the MCPHS School of Optometry in Worcester. Participants will allow their anonymous data to be used for research and are interested in learning how certain strategies might improve their medication management.Inclusion Criteria
I have AMD and am getting eye care at MCPHS Worcester.
I agree to let my anonymous data be used for research.
Trial Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
1-2 weeks
Treatment
Participants receive a one-hour occupational therapy session focusing on education about task lighting, enhanced contrast, enlarged print instructions, smart apps, and organizational strategies to improve medication management skills.
1 day
1 visit (in-person)
Follow-up
Participants are reassessed for the effectiveness of interventions provided, using the MediCog and R-SRAFVP assessment tools.
4 weeks
1 visit (phone or in-person)
Participant Groups
The study tests if occupational therapy interventions like additional lighting, enhanced contrast, enlarged print instructions, smart apps, and organizational strategies can help people with AMD manage medications better and make more effective use of their vision.
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Receiving OT interventionsExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
All participants will receive all OT interventions
Occupational Therapy Interventions for Low Vision Care is already approved in United States, Canada, European Union for the following indications:
🇺🇸 Approved in United States as Occupational Therapy for:
- Improvement of medication management skills in individuals with visual impairments such as AMD
🇨🇦 Approved in Canada as Occupational Therapy for:
- Enhancement of daily living activities including medication management for visually impaired individuals
🇪🇺 Approved in European Union as Occupational Therapy for:
- Support for individuals with visual impairments to manage medications effectively
Find a Clinic Near You
Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
MCPHS 10 Lincoln SquareWorcester, MA
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
MCPHS UniversityLead Sponsor
References
Impact of vision impairment on intensity of occupational therapy utilization and outcomes in subacute rehabilitation. [2019]To examine whether vision impairment is a predictor of intensity of occupational therapy utilization and outcomes in a sample of older adults ages ≥55 receiving subacute rehabilitation in a long-term care setting.
Functional Outcomes of the Low Vision Depression Prevention Trial in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. [2018]To compare the efficacy of behavioral activation (BA) plus low vision rehabilitation with an occupational therapist (OT-LVR) with supportive therapy (ST) on visual function in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Responsiveness of the Revised Low Vision Independence Measure (LVIM-R). [2022]The Low Vision Independence Measure (LVIM) was designed to measure the effectiveness of occupational therapy to improve visual ability in low vision rehabilitation.
Occupational therapy interventions to improve performance of daily activities at home for older adults with low vision: a systematic review. [2019]The impact of age-related vision loss on older adults' independence at home is profound. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to maintain, restore, and improve performance in daily activities at home for older adults with low vision. We searched and screened abstracts from multiple electronic databases and identified 17 studies that fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three themes in intervention approaches emerged: multicomponent intervention, single-component intervention, and multidisciplinary intervention. Strong evidence of effectiveness was found in studies that applied a multicomponent approach; these interventions involved teaching knowledge and skills that older adults with low vision need to help overcome the disablement process. Evidence also suggests that multiple sessions of training with low vision devices and special viewing skills to compensate for vision loss are necessary to have a positive effect on daily activities. Finally, multidisciplinary intervention that focused on personal goals yielded greater positive outcomes than interventions that were not personalized.
Client and therapist perspectives on the influence of low vision and chronic conditions on performance and occupational therapy intervention. [2015]We explored how vision loss and comorbid chronic conditions influence occupational therapy intervention by gathering perspectives from occupational therapists treating clients with low vision and from older adults with low vision.
Research opportunities in the area of older adults with low vision. [2013]The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Evidence-Based Practice Project has developed a table summarizing the research opportunities on older adults with low vision. The table provides an overview of the state of current available evidence on interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice and is based on the systematic reviews from the AOTA Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines Series. Researchers, students, and clinicians can use this information in developing innovative research to answer important questions within the occupational therapy field.
Occupational Therapy Interventions for Older Adults With Low Vision. [2020]Evidence Connection articles provide clinical application of systematic reviews developed in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA's) Evidence-Based Practice Project. Findings from the systematic review of occupational therapy for older adults with low vision were published in the January/February 2020 issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) and in AOTA's Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Older Adults With Low Vision, published in the March/April 2020 issue of AJOT. In this article, we describe a case report of an older adult with low vision who was referred to outpatient occupational therapy services because of a recent progression of her age-related macular degeneration that led to a decline in functional independence. Each article in the Evidence Connection series summarizes the evidence from the published reviews on a given topic and presents an application of the evidence to a related clinical case. These articles illustrate how the research evidence from the reviews can be used to inform and guide clinical decision making.
Results from a survey of occupational therapy practitioners in low vision rehabilitation. [2013]The purpose of this study was to provide practitioners working in low vision rehabilitation with a means for comparing service provision, including assessment, intervention, and program evaluation strategies, across a range of treatment facilities in the United States. Occupational therapy practitioners providing low vision services (N = 34) completed an online survey to address: (1) practitioner backgrounds in occupational therapy and low vision, (2) design, type, and location of practice, (3) client diagnoses and demographics, (4) referrals to and from occupational therapy, (5) types of assessments used, (6) types of interventions provided, and (7) follow-up and program evaluation procedures. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all items. Results suggest that practitioners seek adequate continuing education; use a combination of self-designed and standardized assessment procedures, and both remedial and compensatory intervention strategies; frequently refer to other low vision professionals; and provide services primarily to older adults through a medical rehabilitation model.
Low vision, ADL and hearing assistive device use among older persons with visual impairments. [2019]Assistive devices (AD) have long played an important role in occupational therapy practice as a way of enabling activities of daily living (ADL), but no studies to date have investigated the use of low vision AD among older persons with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as well as devices for ADL performance and hearing. The purpose of this study was to describe AD users and to investigate the association of AD and ADL. A health promotion program versus an individual program was investigated within a randomised design. The study was based on data from 131 participants, 28-months after intervention. Data on prescribed ADs were examined through medical records and registers. The participants in the health promotion program used low vision AD in combination with ADL devices to a higher degree, whereas participants in the individual program used just optical AD. Greater use of non-optical AD within the individual program and greater use of ADL devices within the health promotion program was weakly associated with higher level of ADL dependence. There was no significant association between the number of low vision AD and having a decreased, a maintained or improved level of dependence at 28 months.
The impact of age-related visual impairment on functional independence in the elderly. [2007]Low vision is an extremely common problem in the elderly, which may have devastating consequences for functional independence and health status. It ranks only behind arthritis and heart disease as the etiology for impaired function in those over the age of 70. Macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness and poor vision in the elderly. The central vision loss of this disorder can sometimes be postponed through laser therapy. Otherwise, the low visual state is best addressed with vision-enhancing devices, non-optical adaptive equipment, and patient education available through most occupational therapists. Referral to a low-vision rehabilitation program is sometimes needed for more comprehensive evaluation and intervention. Individual adaptation and supportive services often result in a significant improvement in function and quality of life for those elders with low vision.
Vision rehabilitation of persons with age related macular degeneration. [2019]As the population of the United States ages, there is an increase in the number of persons with age related macular degeneration (ARMD). Even as new prevention and treatment techniques are developed, the vision loss associated with ARMD may lead to loss of independence and quality of life. Low vision is a rehabilitative process designed to improve visual function and restore independence. This paper is a review of the current research related to low vision in the areas of magnification, contrast and illumination, reading, training, driving and outcomes assessment.