The Effect of an Innovative Vision Simulator (OrCam) on Quality of Life in Patients with Glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose:The aim of this study was to determine the impact of OrCam on vision-related quality of life of patients with legal blindness and end-stage glaucoma. OrCam is a device comprised of a camera and earpiece attached to the user’s eyeglass that translates written text to speech.Methods:In this prospective, observational study, a total of 27 participants were recruited and tested. All participants were legally blind. Participants were provided with the OrCam device during the study period and trained how to operate it. National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25) and other questionnaires were given to participants at the baseline visit and at the end of the 4-week study for comparison. Additional questions were surveyed weekly during the study to monitor progress.Results:At the final visit after 1 month, most participants, 74.1% ( n = 20/27), reported an increase in their overall quality of life. Participants were highly satisfied with the device; 88.9% ( n = 24/27) reported being “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the device. The NEI-VFQ-25 near vision subscale score improved from 29.9 to 37.2 ( p = .045).Discussion:OrCam allowed participants with legal blindness to read independently when in controlled settings, subsequently improving their quality of life. However, users had more difficulty using the device when the location of text was not readily apparent (e.g., street signs, billboards), and users with some degree of vision had an easier time aligning the device with the text.Implications for practitioners:This device may offer participants with visual impairments the opportunity to read independently.

Artificial vision: the effectiveness of the OrCam in patients with advanced inherited retinal dystrophies

“…Similar results were found in a previous study with the OrCam, showing improvements in the ‘near vision’ subscale of the NEI‐VFQ in patients with end‐stage glaucoma (Waisbourd et al. 2019 ). As previous studies have demonstrated that the NEI‐VFQ suffers from multidimensionality, we also obtained Rasch estimates from visual functioning and socio‐emotional subscales (Stelmack et al.…”

“…However, the impact of a single LVA remains unclear, as low-vision rehabilitation programmes typically offer multiple LVAs and multidisciplinary services over the course of rehabilitation. This makes it difficult to distinguish the contribution of a single device or service on a patient's rehabilitation progress (Moisseiev & Mannis 2016;Waisbourd et al 2019). Insights into the effectiveness of the OrCam will provide knowledge on which patients are most likely to benefit from the device and will also inform us on which daily activities may improve when using devices such as the OrCam.…”

“…This makes it difficult to distinguish the contribution of a single device or service on a patient’s rehabilitation progress (Moisseiev & Mannis 2016 ; Waisbourd et al. 2019 ). Insights into the effectiveness of the OrCam will provide knowledge on which patients are most likely to benefit from the device and will also inform us on which daily activities may improve when using devices such as the OrCam.…”

HearIt: Auditory-Cue-Based Audio Playback Control to Facilitate Information Browsing in Lecture Audio

“…Furthermore, there have been studies to interpret other types of visual materials (e.g., graph, map, and picture). OrCam [28] is a voice-activated device that attaches to virtually any glasses. It helps blind users live a more independent life by processing a book text, smartphone screen, and recognize faces.…”

Application on character recognition system on road sign for visually impaired: case study approach and future

“…A high-resolution camera is used to scan the characters corresponding to the finger"s touch while also reading them out loud after being scanned. After several years of research, OrCam, an Israeli company, is now developing new products that use facial recognition technology to scan not only characters but also various colors [21]. There are also "smart glasses" for people with partial vision loss.…”