Scotland’s Aberdeen University has launched the spinout Sight Science Ltd to commercialize its Neuro-Eye Therapy (NeET), a technology that has been likened to physiotherapy for the eyes. Partial sight loss following stroke affects some 55,000 people across Europe each year. Thousands more suffer vision loss following a brain injury. Delivered through a home-based interactive laptop package, NeET prompts patients to respond to patterns on the screen that stimulate regions of the brain that have been injured, causing sight loss. The basis of NeET is similar to the approach taken in rehabilitating movement and speech disorders after stroke. Patients using the computer program are presented repeatedly and systematically with visual patterns designed to encourage plasticity within the injured brain.<\/p>\n
Following therapy, patients have reported significant improvements in their sight, giving them increased navigational skills, helping them to carry out everyday activities such as crossing the road, and being able to concentrate longer. Patients are required to complete the computer-based exercise, which takes around 30 minutes, once or twice a day over six months. Most who have used the therapy have found it so successful that they have extended its use, according to researchers.<\/p>\n