A technique to train new oculomotor behavior in patients with central macular scotomas during reading related tasks using scanning laser ophthalmoscopy: immediate functional benefits and gains retention

Table 3 Retinal areas used for reading and eye movements to completely uncover presented words

Subjects	Areas used to decipher single letters and isolated words			Areas used to read paragraphed text			Ocular movements to entirely uncover presented words
	Before SLO training	Immediately after SLO training	Three months after SLO training	Before SLO training	Immediately after SLO training	Three months after SLO training	Before SLO training	Immediately after SLO training	Three months after SLO training
MT	PRL: 1	PRL: 1	PRL: 1	PRL: 1	PRL: 1 nPRLs: 1	PRL: 1 nPRLs: 2	No	Yes	No
SL	PRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1 nPRLs: 2	PRL: 1	PRL: 1 nPRLs: 2	PRL: 1 TRL: 1 nPRLs: 2	No	Yes	Yes
LG	PRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1 nPRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1 nPRL: 1	PRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1 nPRLs: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1	No	Yes	Yes
AA	PRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1 nPRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1 nPRL: 1	PRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1	PRL: 1 TRL: 1	Yes	Yes	Yes
GM	PRL: 0	TRL: 1	TRL: 1 nPRLs: 2	PRL: 0	TRL: 1	TRL: 1	Yes	Yes	Yes

PRL: initial PRL; TRL: examiner's selected TRL; nPRL: additional newly self-selected PRLs. Following the training four subjects (SL, LG, AA, GM) used either the examiner's selected TRL and/or newly self-selected PRLs both for isolated words' deciphering and for paragraphed text reading. Note that, before training, only two subjects were able to perform eye movements to entirely uncover isolated words, either sequentially using the initial PRL, or at once using the examiner's selected TRL. Immediately following training, all subjects were able to achieve the task. In four out of five subjects this capacity was retained three months following SLO training. Note also that the subject that did not retain the ability to uncover words also did not retain any functional training gains.

ISSN: 1471-2415