We are thrilled to share that Vivid Vision was selected as one of six finalists for the prestigious VSP Vision Innovation Challenge 2025! This global competition, hosted by VSP Vision, MATTER healthcare incubator, and Topcon Healthcare, recognized the most innovative companies transforming the eye care experience.

About the VSP Vision Innovation Challenge

The VSP Vision Innovation Challenge was a global competition designed to source and advance solutions that enhance provider and patient experiences in eye care. The challenge selected six startups—three early-stage and three later-stage companies—to participate in a comprehensive four-week startup bootcamp and present their solutions live at Vision Expo West, one of the largest gatherings of vision care professionals in the industry.

Recognition for Vivid Vision Perimetry (VVP)

Our selection as a finalist represents significant validation of our innovative approach to visual field testing. Our VVP technology for digital endpoints in AMD and glaucoma clinical trials enables at-home visual field testing with more data precision. With our level of precision, VVP accelerates pharmaceutical trial timelines significantly, reduces the number of participants required, and therefore lowers trial costs. We enable pharmaceutical companies to bring their sight-saving interventions to market quicker and with more reliability. We also help eye care professionals with referral accuracy to specialists- making sure the right patient is in the right chair at the right time. 

This recognition highlighted how our technology addresses critical needs in both clinical practice and research, offering more accessible and precise solutions for vision care.

A Valuable Experience and Platform

As finalists, we participated in a four-week startup bootcamp, receiving expert mentorship and exclusive resources to refine our value proposition. The program provided access to leading vision care, venture capital, and healthcare professionals, along with pitch deck support from MATTER and the VSP Global Innovation Center.

Our Chief Growth Officer, Kelin Kushin, presented our solution live on stage at Vision Expo West at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 18, 2025. Kelin shared that the experience "was a unique blend of early and late stage companies" and "provided valuable conversations, feedback, and exposure that probably would not have happened otherwise. I would highly recommend the Challenge to other companies in the vision care innovation/start-up space." 

Outstanding Company Among Fellow Finalists

We were honored to be recognized alongside five other innovative companies, out of an original pool of over 50 applicants, that are also transforming eye care:

• Vitazi - AI-powered decision support platform enabling the early detection of various conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders, through a retinal scan.
• Soliddd - AR glasses for macular degeneration that restore full-field sight to functionally blind people, also being tested for glaucoma, optic neuritis, cone-rod dystrophy, retinitis pigmentosa, and severe astigmatism.
• Muse AI - AI eyewear recommendation tool helping independent optometrists and retailers create a personalized pre-shopping discovery experience for their customers.
• Remidio - Suite of AI-enabled hardware and software delivering remote, accessible eye care and whole-body health, featuring smartphone-based retinal imaging without dilation and a proprietary Vision Foundational AI Model.
• Reyedar - Eye tracking AI for early detection of glaucoma, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

Reflecting on the Experience

This recognition from the VSP Innovation Challenge validated our commitment to revolutionizing vision care through cutting-edge VR technology. The experience of participating in the bootcamp program and presenting at Vision Expo West provided invaluable exposure and connections within the industry.

As Ruth Yomtoubian, Vice President and Head of the VSP Global Innovation Center, noted: "For 70 years, VSP has been helping people see. As next-gen technologies and research continue to elevate the role the eyes play in preventive care and overall health, it is essential that we continue exploring emerging solutions that can help scale access to care and enhance patient and provider experiences".

We were proud to be part of this mission to enhance the eye care experience and contribute to the future of vision health through our innovative technology.

Contact our Clinical Partnerships team to schedule a technical presentation or to request our VVP information package.

Geographic Atrophy (GA) and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) require precise longitudinal monitoring of retinal sensitivity and disease progression. Conventional microperimetry methodologies, while effective for mapping scotomas and quantifying functional deficits, present significant logistical challenges including clinic-based administration requirements and extended testing durations. These limitations compromise patient adherence and adversely affect data quality and integrity in clinical trial settings.

At Vivid Vision, we’re exploring a new, more convenient, way to measure retinal sensitivity at home using virtual reality (VR) technology and a natural-fixation perimetry technique combined with lesion-customized grids. The latest study of Vivid Vision Perimetry (VVP), led by Dr. Karl Csaky at Retina Foundation of the Southwest and supported by Regeneron, demonstrates that an at-home VR-based vision test not only matches the accuracy of in-clinic microperimetry but also provides even greater precision.

These exciting findings were presented on February 12, 2025 at the Macula Society’s “IMAGING I AND MACULAR DISEASE” session¹. Here’s a quick rundown of the study and what it means for the future of visual field testing. If you'd like to see the full presentation, get in touch with us. 

Why Develop a VR-Based Test for GA?

Geographic Atrophy, an advanced form of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, leads to progressively larger areas of damaged retina. Measuring how well someone can see around these damaged areas is vital for tracking the disease and evaluating new treatments. However, traditional microperimetry tests have some drawbacks:

• They can be time-consuming and require frequent clinic visits.
• They might lack the ability to tailor test points around each patient’s unique lesion.
• Consistent positioning and fixation can be challenging, leading to variability in results.

Our goal was to solve these challenges with:

1. An at-home solution to reduce the need for frequent clinic visits.
2. A customizable test layout that targets each individual’s damaged and healthy retinal regions.
3. Improved reliability and precision in tracking vision changes over time.

How We Did It

1. Customization via a Web-Based Interface
   Using the participant’s retinal images (including FAF and OCT scans), we identified where the damage (lesion) was located on the retina and mapped out exactly where to place test stimuli. We also corrected for each participant’s natural eye position and any possible rotation of the eye (cyclotorsion).

2. Deployment to a VR Headset
   Each customized test was then loaded into the VR headset running our Vivid Vision Perimetry (VVP) software. This allowed participants to do the test from the comfort of home.

3. Test Bundle: 10 Sessions Over 5 Days
   After a quick in-clinic training session, participants took the headset home and completed 10 test sessions in just 5 days. On average, each session took under 20 minutes.

4. Comparisons with Microperimetry
   Meanwhile, each participant also underwent traditional microperimetry (MAIA) in the clinic, so we could compare test-retest variability, mean sensitivity values, and fixation precision.

Example of lesion-customized grids placed on the physiological blind spots of a normally-sighted person. VVP is precise enough to measure individual blood vessels leaving the optic nerve head.

What We Found

• Reduced Test-Retest Variability
  Repeated measurements with our VR test showed a variability of just 0.23 dB (SE for the mean of 10 sessions) compared to 0.87 dB for standard microperimetry (SD across 2-3 visits). VVP produced more consistent and stable results over multiple sessions substantially enhancing the statistical power to detect clinically meaningful changes in retinal sensitivity

• Near-Perfect Adherence
  Participants completed almost 100% of their assigned at-home sessions. This high compliance mirrors findings from a 2024 study (Chia et al.)² in glaucoma patients using a similar VR approach.

• Excellent Agreement with Traditional Testing
  Across all participants, the mean retinal sensitivity values from the VR test closely matched those measured by the MAIA microperimeter.

• Improved Fixation Precision
  We measured eye movement accuracy by placing test stimuli around the physiological blind spot revealing significantly improved precision with VVP (0.55°) versus MAIA microperimetry (1.2°; p<0.05).

Example of lesion-customized grids placed on the physiological blind spots of a normally-sighted person. VVP is precise enough to measure individual blood vessels leaving the optic nerve head.

Why This Matters

Key insights from the latest study of Vivid Vision Perimetry (VVP), led by Dr. Karl Csaky at Retina Foundation of the Southwest and supported by Regeneron

• Spatially-Resolved Functional Assessment: The lesion-customized stimulus placement enables precise mapping of functional deficits in relation to structural abnormalities. This spatial co-registration of structure and function provides unprecedented resolution in quantifying disease progression, particularly valuable for evaluating therapeutic effect in perilesional regions where treatment efficacy may first manifest.

• Enhanced Statistical Power and Reduced Sample Requirements: The substantial reduction in test-retest variability translates directly to increased statistical power while maintaining equivalent power to detect treatment effects.

• Enhanced Protocol Adherence and Data Integrity: At-home administration enables significantly higher frequency of testing for longitudinal assessment. Our near 100% protocol adherence minimizes missing data points and strengthens statistical analyses.

• Operational Efficiencies for Multi-Center Trials: Centralized deployment and standardized administration by the centralized reading center minimize site-to-site variability, reducing the need for extensive site training and validation. This streamlined approach enables global, multi-center phase II/III studies.

What’s Next?

We’re thrilled about the potential of this at-home VR approach for a wide range of eye conditions. As our partnerships with industry continue to expand, we’ll refine the technology further, exploring:

• Larger cohorts for greater statistical power.
• Additional retinal diseases where early intervention and consistent monitoring can change treatment outcomes.
• Combining VR perimetry data with AI-driven insights for even more personalized care.

Get Involved!

Vivid Vision Perimetry offers a validated solution for enhancing the precision and efficiency of functional endpoints in geographic atrophy clinical trials. Our team has extensive experience implementing this technology in industry-sponsored studies with:

• Customized endpoint design tailored to specific trial protocols
• Comprehensive training and certification programs for site personnel
• Full data management and dataset delivery
• Innovation partnerships for novel digital endpoints

For pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies seeking to accelerate clinical development timelines or enhance the statistical power of GA therapeutic programs, our dedicated business development team is available to discuss implementation strategies for upcoming clinical trials.

Contact our Clinical Partnerships team to schedule a technical presentation or to request our VVP information package. Early engagement during protocol development is recommended to optimize study design and maximize the benefits of high-precision functional endpoints.

References

1. Csaky, K. Use of a novel individualized, clustered at-home virtual reality perimetry test to measure retinal sensitivity in patients with Geographic Atrophy (GA). Macula Society. Charlotte Harbor, Florida, USA. 12 February 2025. https://www.xcdsystem.com/maculasociety/program/5G2onFx/index.cfm

2. Chia ZK, Kong AW, Turner ML, Saifee M, Damato BE, Backus BT, Blaha JJ, Schuman JS, Deiner MS, Ou Y. Assessment of remote training, at-home testing, and test-retest variability of a novel test for clustered virtual reality perimetry. Ophthalmology Glaucoma. 2024;7(2):139-47.

If you are experiencing issues where the virtual hands don’t appear on screen or appear frozen in the middle of the virtual scene then you will need to follow the steps below to resolve the issue.

***Please Note: This fix is only for the Meta desktop software and does not apply to other VR headset platforms***

This issue occurs after the Meta(Oculus) software has been updated to the latest version (version 66). The issue is due to Meta changing the way that they allow software to access controller functionality. Unfortunately this change was not communicated to their development community and as a result a number of software applications relying on this method of input functionality had stopped working correctly.  Our developers found a workaround for the issue and a convenient script that will automatically replace the incompatible files with functioning ones.

To download and run the script file, follow the steps below: 

1. Close Vivid Vision and Oculus(Meta).
2. Go to the download page at www.seevividly.com/oculusfix
3. After you click on the link above, the download will take a few seconds to complete.. (You will not see any web page appear but you will see the downloaded file appear in the upper-right corner of the browser. You might be prompted to either discard or keep the file,, choose "Keep" or "allow", if prompted.  You will either be prompted to choose a location, or the browser will automatically save the zip file in the "Downloads" folder.)
4. Open the "Downloads'' folder or the folder you chose to save the zip file in.  (This can be done either by opening a File Explorer window by selecting the folder icon on the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen or right-clicking on the Windows Start button on the task bar and selecting "File Explorer" in the menu list.)
5. Select the oculusfix.zip file, then right-click and choose "Extract All" and then click "Extract All" at the bottom of the window".
6. A new window will open, you want to right-click on the "oculusfix-run" file and choose "Run as Administrator". (You will ether be prompted to enter Administrator credentials or the script will automatically run if you are already logged in as Administrator.)
7. A command prompt window will now open and you will see the batch file run its commands.
8. After the batch file has completed, you will see the message  "press any key to continue", press any key on the keyboard to close the command window.
9. Open Vivid Vision and test the headset and controllers to confirm that the virtual hands are functioning correctly.

If you need further assistance or if you're still having issues with the virtual hands after applying the hotfix, you can contact Support directly at support@seevividly.com or (US) 1 877 877 0310 - Option 1, 9 AM - 5 PM EST, Monday - Thursday.

The Vivid Vision Team

Language support:

We’re excited to announce the support of Ukrainian and Russian languages in the Clinical and Home programs.

Updates to current activities:

Bubbles

• Some settings have been reworked to provide a more intuitive experience. Difficulty now has a simpler, direct correlation to the binocular disparities between the stimuli. Arm Length is now labeled 'Max Bubble Distance' to better describe its function, and is specified in centimeters. Bubbles Size is now specified in degrees of visual angle. Some settings are now hidden by default, but may still be adjusted when Difficulty is set to Custom.

• The number of bubbles which can appear at once is now limited to 9. With this change, along with the rework of the Difficulty setting, the binocular disparities of each trial can be fully known before the game is played. The min-max range of disparities that may occur during the game is now displayed in arcseconds, next to the Difficulty setting; the values update as settings are adjusted.

• During gameplay, the consequence of popping the wrong bubble has been softened. Instead of regressing to the prior sequence of bubbles upon any mistake, the user is presented with the same set of bubbles which had just contained that mistake. If they pop correctly this time, the mistake is forgiven and they progress forward. Otherwise, they regress to the prior sequence. All mistakes are still counted in the session data.

• The primary value of interest in the session data is now Mean Best 20 Correct. It is the average disparity in arcseconds of all the 20 lowest-disparity trials where the user responded correctly.

• A new Training Mode setting has been added, with the new Parallax mode designed for users who are still developing binocular fusion. Some head movement relative to the bubbles is allowed, in order for motion parallax cues to help the user. In this mode, a new graphic encircles the whole set of bubbles, in order to provide a consistent background reference. The amount of movement allowed is designed to decrease over the course of gameplay; these start/end values are configurable. When this mode is chosen, the Difficulty setting is restricted to Easy. On headsets which lack full positional tracking, this mode is available, but lateral head movement is emulated when the user rotates their head (may cause discomfort).

Bullseye

• On headsets which lack full positional tracking, a small amount of lateral head movement is emulated when the user rotates their head. This makes the experience more similar across different headsets.

Breaker 

• While using hand-tracked paddles, the ball now begins moving when the game starts instead of waiting to be hit.

• More consistent paddle-ball interaction on Oculus Quest headsets.

Hoopie

• On headsets which lack full positional tracking, the hand controller may now be used to move the hoop. The game settings should use Control Mode set to Left/Right VR.

• The ball is colored more brightly in the indoor court.

Barnyard Bounce 

• Starting/ending vergence demand may now be set to values on either side of ortho. The activity will still progress according to the Direction setting. Remember to adjust carefully when Use Patient Prism is enabled!

• Step Size can be set to zero in order to remain at the starting vergence demand throughout the activity.

Step Vergence

• Starting/ending vergence demand may now be set to values on either side of ortho. The activity will still progress according to the Direction setting. Remember to adjust carefully when Use Patient Prism is enabled!

• Step Size can be set to zero in order to remain at the starting vergence demand throughout the activity.

• The Distance setting may now go up to 600 cm. Select Near or Far in order to adjust the value in the desired range.

• The minimum value of Depth Factor has been raised to 500 arcseconds of binocular disparity among the stimuli.

• Target Size is now specified in degrees of visual angle.

Jump Duction

• A new Progression setting has been added; choose the new Random mode to make each jump land upon a random amount of demand within the start/end range.

• Starting/ending vergence demand may now be set to values on either side of ortho. The activity will still progress according to the Direction setting. Remember to adjust carefully when Use Patient Prism is enabled!

• Step Size can be set to zero in order to remain at the starting vergence demand throughout the activity.

• The Distance setting may now go up to 600 cm. Select Near or Far in order to adjust the value in the desired range.

• The minimum value of Depth Factor has been raised to 500 arcseconds of binocular disparity among the stimuli.

• Target Size is now specified in degrees of visual angle.

Updates to current tests: 

Deviation

• Added toggle for Cyclotorsion, which can leave out the respective part of the test.

Prism Tuner

• During the latter associated part of the test, alignment will be checked without any prism at least once, regardless of the dissociated results.

• Added toggle for Cyclotorsion, which can leave out the respective part of the test.

As part of our Vision Therapy Success Stories series, we interviewed Ms. Hanah Vander Muelen. Like so many who've experienced a lack of success from strabismus surgery, Hanah was told nothing could be done about her crossed eye and all the horrible symptoms she was experiencing as a result. At age 29, she finally found WOW Vision Therapy in Michigan where Dr. Alyssa Parz gave Hanah reassuring information. With a personalized vision therapy program that included Vivid Vision, Hanah found relief from her debilitating headaches, saw in depth for the first time, and gained tremendous confidence.

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At the age of 29, Hanah reached the end of her rope. The previous five years had been the hardest of her young life. Strabismus was physically and emotionally taking a toll on her.

“My life had become so difficult due to my eye turn..."

“I remember being in the examination room at Wow Vision Therapy with my husband, crying as I shared my story with Dr. Alyssa Bartolini Parz. I felt hopeless,” Hanah shared. “My life had become so difficult due to my eye turn, my strabismus. My self-confidence and self-esteem were so low that I had stopped making eye contact with people, chose to stay home instead of making new friends, and stopped driving at night completely. In the evening after putting my children to bed, I would try to watch TV, browse social media, or read a book to unwind only to have such a horrible headache after a few minutes that I’d give up and go to bed early to escape the pain.” She lived with these circumstances for five years.

Going back in time, the story of Hanah’s vision problems actually started soon after birth. “Like many infants, my eyes wandered and crossed during the first few months of my life. However, the alignment of my eyes did not correct themselves and I ended up getting glasses and having strabismus surgery at 10 months old. The strabismus surgery corrected the alignment of my eyes for a short period of time; however, as I grew older the misalignment became more apparent. I tried to strengthen the muscle in my weak (left) eye by patching and doing pencil pushups throughout my early childhood and adolescence.”

“When I was 15 years old, my left eye was turning out and, although I wasn’t bothered by it as a child, I felt self-conscious as a teenager. The doctor said there was nothing they could do and I trudged on, adapting in ways I never recognized. I had learned how to cope with the world around me and live in the space I occupied by using monocular cues.”

But by the age of 24, Hanah was experiencing a long list of negative symptoms due to strabismus.

“I had really awful headaches. I also struggled with severe dizziness while working on the computer at the office, even attempting to compensate by closing one eye. In my job as a dental hygienist, I didn’t feel confident interacting with my patients because I wasn’t able to make eye contact. On a personal level, I didn’t like the way I looked when my eye was misaligned, which was all the time. I didn’t like the way people took a double take at me or how they peered over their shoulder behind them and then asked if I was talking to them.”       

Additionally, Hanah struggled in judging distances and with poor memory and reading comprehension. She was also very sensitive to light. “If I was in a room that was not evenly and well lit, I would get a headache. I actually avoided restaurants solely based on their lighting.” Driving at night was exceptionally difficult. “Here I was at the young age of 24 and I couldn’t even drive to see a good friend because I wouldn’t be able to make it back before dark. The headlights of oncoming cars while driving at night gave me an instant pounding headache. I would become disoriented and would have to close my eyes,” Hanah added. Hanah said she depended on others for transportation or stayed home. But she did not want to live like this and began another search for answers.

“It was at this time that I began my search for a solution to the problem. I had visited a total of four ophthalmologists and optometrists with four differing opinions regarding how to fix my strabismus as an adult. I was told that there was nothing else that could be done for me, that I could go blind in my weak eye if I continued to suppress it, that surgery was risky and could lead to permanent double vision (but it was the only option for me), or that a combination of vision therapy and surgery could possibly work. I spent the next five years weighing my options as my symptoms worsened."

Finally, at age 29, I went to WOW Vision Therapy for my fifth and final opinion. It was there that I met Dr. Parz and she told me, with confidence, that I was a great candidate for vision therapy and that with a lot of hard work and dedication it could work for me!

Vision therapy changed Hanah’s life in a matter of weeks. “The first change was the elimination of my headaches. That came about in just a few sessions. By the eleventh or twelfth session, I felt like I could control my eye alignment and my eyes were straight. Just after that I achieved depth perception and peripheral vision. I was told it could take me two years to achieve all of this and I did it in nine months! I think Vivid Vision was instrumental in my quick success.”

"The first time I experienced seeing depth was while using Vivid Vision virtual reality."

Hanah shared her love of the fun, interactive games. “I think being immersed in a virtual reality helped me escape real world distractions and focus on vision therapy.”

“I graduated from vision therapy in January, 2020, after nine months of amazing success. My life has completely changed for the better. I see the beauty in raindrops and snowflakes. I engage with patients and have made wonderful new friends. I have no sensitivity to light and love to read. The first book I read after vision therapy, cover to cover, was Dr. Sue Barry’s Fixing My Gaze. I couldn’t put it down and cried countless times start to finish.”

Best of all, Hanah no longer feels like she is on the outside looking in. “I now feel as if I occupy my own space in this world, and that is quite a remarkable sensation. Vision therapy has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It was a tremendous amount of hard work, both mentally and physically, but it was worth it."

"Wow Vision Therapy equipped me with the knowledge, tools, and confidence I needed to gain control of my eyes and in turn gain control of my life.”

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If you're a patient interested in Vivid Vision, use our doctor locator page to find a Vivid Vision provider near you!

As part of our Vision Therapy Success Stories series, we interviewed 34 year old, Willie Baxter. Willie was told as a child that he would just have to live with having lazy eye. As an adult, Willie is now in vision therapy under the supervision of Dr. David Maze in the Chicago area and experiencing great improvement. We're following Willie through the course of his therapy program, this is Part 2 of the series. 

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In 2019 we interviewed and shared the beginning of Willie’s vision therapy success story with a promise to provide future updates. Pandemic life might have delayed things on our end, but Willie was still doing vision therapy remotely from home and continuing to progress!

“It’s wonderful to have this opportunity to update everyone on how I’ve been progressing with Vivid Vision and with my vision therapy journey. It will be three years in August since I started vision therapy for amblyopia and strabismus, and I’m proud to report I have almost reached my pinnacle!” 

Thanks to his optometrist’s plan for Willie to use Vivid Vision as part of a home-based vision therapy plan, COVID-19 did not interrupt his treatment. 

“I was already seeing Dr. Maze for checkups every three months, so pandemic office closures, safety protocols, and the like didn’t impact me. I was able to keep working at home on improving my vision every day. Dr. Maze gave me a Brock String and many home exercises along with Vivid Vision Home. And every time I saw him, there was improvement. It’s so exciting and encouraging!”

Willie reports that his love of Vivid Vision virtual reality games is as strong as ever. “I have to remind myself to take a break. I think the games are fabulous. They’re fun and they give me feedback, which I really like. The Bubbles game, for example, tells me how well I am seeing the space between the bubbles on the screen. I’ve gone from being 80% accurate in the games to a 97% accuracy rate. I am getting so close to having stereopsis, 3D vision, and I’ve never wanted anything so badly. Ever!”

Willie has seen changes in his vision both at work as a software developer and in his leisure time. “My wife and I were walking in our neighborhood recently where there are many trees. I have long wished I understood the concept of space in relation to seeing in 3D and one day I did. I looked toward a tree and it was huge, taking up so much space in my visual field. I felt quite overwhelmed and amazed by it!”

Driving is also much easier now. Willie shared that he can keep his eye from turning out, which was a problem he had especially at night. He also finds it much easier to park his car. “In Chicago, we do quite a bit of parallel parking and now I am much more accurate in judging the size of the parking space in relation to the size of my car.”

“I can see the finish line just ahead of me and I’m waiting on the tears, those life-changing, happy tears that will come when I get there. I am ready to amp it up and reach that goal. I’ve had many years, especially in my childhood, that were so painful. People made my learning struggles out to be a personal failure, a character issue, instead of the medical, vision problem. I want anyone in the world with vision problems to know they don’t have to suffer. There is hope!”

Stay tuned in for the next update on Willie’s vision therapy journey!

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If you're a patient interested in Vivid Vision, use our doctor locator page to find a Vivid Vision provider near you!

Data Protection

As part of our continued commitment to bringing you secure, HIPAA-compliant software, we’ve added a login step to the Vivid Vision software. Simply type in your user ID and password when you launch Vivid Vision. Need help remembering your ID or password? We’ve got you covered. Simply click https://www.seevividly.com/reset_password to retrieve your user ID and reset your password, or send our support team a message at support@seevividly.com. 

Patient Management

You can now easily remove a patient from your software by archiving the patient then clicking the new Delete Patient button.

Need to edit a patient’s name? You can now easily do this from your Clinical Dashboard in the software or on the web. Click the Patients option, then locate the patient you would like to edit and use the Patient Information option to edit the username or other fields.

Updates to Current Tests! 

We’ve expanded our VR testing option to include some new tests.

Prism Tuner! 

Prism Tuner is a new test that uses a combination of dissociated then associated testing to estimate a starting point for Virtual Prism. This test replaces the legacy Angles test. During the test, a patient completes a series of dissociated Maddox rod-esque trials.

These trials help estimate vertical, cyclo, and horizontal deviations, and are followed by a series of associated trials that uses variable amounts of horizontal prism. The goal is to provide the minimal amount of virtual prism necessary for a patient. 

You can import the results of the most recent Prism Tuner test by using the new Load Prism Tuner Results button.

Vergence Range! 

Similar to the in-clinic test, the Vergence Range test challenges a patient’s horizontal and/or vertical fusion ability in VR. The test can be customized to alter the Horizontal Demand Order to test either BI or BO prism first, as well as the testing distance. We recommend the default distance (200cm) to start.

Vergence Facility! 

Vergence Facility estimates how many cycles of horizontal convergence and divergence a patient can make in 30 or 60 seconds. You can alter the amount of Virtual Prism during the test to customize the Vergence Facility test to the patient’s ability. A unique feature is an option for a Stereo version of the test.

The Stereo stimulus (shown above) is best used for patients with moderate or better stereo ability, as this two-alternative forced-choice method makes the test more objective. The Flat Fusion stimulus is similar to the clinical version of vergence facility.

Updates to Current Tests! 

We’ve also applied the following updates to current tests.

Stereoacuity  

Our Stereoacuity test has been updated to include a Use Patient Prism option. You can now test a patient’s stereo ability in VR both with and without virtual prism.

Deviation

The Deviation test has been updated to offer testing distances of 600, 200, and 40cm. This is a dissociated estimate of a patient’s phoric or tropic posture.

Angles

The Angles test has been officially phased out with this update. We encourage you to use the new Prism Tuner test to estimate a starting point for a patient’s Virtual Prism setting.

New Languages!

We’re excited to announce the support of Chinese (Simplified), Slovak, and Portuguese languages in the Clinical and Home programs.

Additional Program Modifications:

Game Time Default

The default Game Time for all Games has been updated to 5 minutes (previously 10 minutes). Note that this will only affect patients created after this update. 

Help Tab

The Help tab on our software has been updated to make it easier for you to submit a support request. Simply fill out the form on the Help tab to create a support request and our team will be more than happy to assist you.

Melissa is a 33-year-old teacher, mom, wife, and vision therapy patient who has been describing her vision therapy journey on her blog, Strabismus Solutions. Melissa was born with strabismus. She had a noticeable inward eye turn of one eye called esotropia. Her first strabismus surgery at six months of age. Because the surgery was unsuccessful, Melissa had two more surgeries as a child to correct the eye turn. Unfortunately, what resulted was a noticeable outward eye turn of the eye called consecutive exotropia. As an adult Melissa tried patching, glasses, vision therapy, and surgery to treat her eye turn and the problems it caused, such as lack of depth perception. 

Melissa has done a few blog posts on her site about her experience using virtual reality as part of her optometrist-prescribed vision therapy program and, with her permission, we’re sharing some of her feedback and experiences here. 

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Hey! I’m Melissa, I want to share information about my strabismus journey with anyone that could benefit. I hope you enjoy my reviews and personal experiences of using Vivid Vision. I love vision therapy, especially virtual reality vision therapy.  I currently use virtual reality both at home and in my optometrist’s office. I have used both the Vivid Vision and Optics Trainer systems. You can read my side by side review of those systems on my blog. 

What is Vivid Vision?

Basically, if your eyes aren’t working well together, Vivid Vision is designed to help you. It is not a program that you can just go out and buy, you must go through a provider (an Optometrist or equivalent in your country) who can then manage your treatment. Vivid Vision is virtual reality software that treats conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes or squint), and convergence insufficiency. It also helps work on visual skills like visual spatial memory, visual figure ground, visual sequential memory, visual tracking, convergence, divergence, depth perception, peripheral vision, visual motor integration, laterality and directionality, form recognition, and more!

What Makes Vivid Vision Amazing?

First of all, the developer of Vivid Vision, James Blaha, actually had strabismus and designed it to help people who struggled like him. So cool!

I love the versatility of Vivid Vision! Every strabismus patient is so unique and needs a unique treatment plan. This program allows for such individualized solutions for complex visual issues. With all the different adjustments, it means Vivid Vision can work long term and grow with the patient as they improve.

I love that there is a huge variety of activities because it doesn’t get boring. The games are pretty fun, and I actually find myself looking forward to playing them. Some games focus on fusion and depth perception, while others work to stop suppression and get both eyes working. Other skills like tracking, peripheral vision, multi-tasking, and hand eye coordination are also worked in the various games.

Not every game is a good fit for every patient so your eye doctor can change the order of the games and which ones come up for you. 

Here’s my summary of what makes Vivid Vision amazing:

• Huge variety of games- When you are doing home VR for weeks and months on end, having a variety makes it SO much better! I also love that each game focuses on different important visual skills that you can learn in different ways. Changing things up helps my brain to learn so much faster!
• Versatility in adjustments for settings- I already went through this…but it makes a big difference. Versatility means that the program can grow and change with the patient. It is helpful for such a huge range of people!
• Engaging- The environment feels so real and the graphics are great. So much attention was put to details. When the graphics are good, it is easier for my brain to put the images from both eyes together.
• Backed by research. So many different studies have been done to show that Vivid Vision can improve depth perception and overall vision! It is much easier to feel good about investing money into something that is backed by science.
• There are so many vision therapy exercises and tools that are only available in-office, and they are usually the ones that work the best. I LOVE that I can take one of the most effective vision therapy tools that I have used home with me and use it every day. I can easily take it on vacation as well.
• If you live somewhere that doesn’t offer vision therapy, you can do remote Vivid Vision and remote vision therapy sessions. I live in a remote part of Idaho and there isn’t an office that offers vision therapy near by. I was able to go through Maryland Vision Therapy (website) for management of my Vivid Vision prescription. They are working with my local vision therapy office and me. Technology is the coolest.

What Are the Limitations of Vivid Vision?

• Cost- The cost can vary depending on the clinic. Most clinics choose to include Vivid Vision as a part of an entire vision therapy program. In this case, you may not actually notice the cost because you will pay one lump sum for appointments and computer/VR programs. For me, since my office doesn’t offer Vivid Vision, I had to take the option of doing it remotely through another office. I shopped around and was given pricing ranging from $700-$1200 for 3 months. Clinics can charge as much or as little as they want so do your research. I 100% believe that it is worth it. I believe that it will make the time that you spend doing vision therapy more effective so that you can finish earlier. Nothing about fixing strabismus is cheap though, so it’s good to know going in.
• There is no menu that allows you to pick the games you want to play, it is all pre-determined by your optometrist. This is probably a good thing, but I, personally, prefer to have a little more control.
• Requires a doctor’s prescription, probably also a good thing…but it would be nice to be able to continue doing Vivid Vision after I graduate from vision therapy without paying a fee to my optometrist.
• This is not a one stop shop. This is true for any computer vision therapy program. They all vary in what they can cover, and honestly, Vivid Vision is more comprehensive than anything else I’ve tried. BUT there is no computer program that can replace real life experience and therapy involving the real world. It is important to understand that Vivid Vision is something that should be combined with regular in-office vision therapy, it is not a stand alone product.

My Personal Experience with Vivid Vision

As part of my vision therapy journey my optometrist and I discussed the option of surgery and I  eventually decided to have another surgery to help me out and then return to vision therapy afterward.

The surgery threw my brain for a loop. My eye started to turn inward and my brain was not understanding how to use both eyes together. I was off balance and my peripheral vision was so messed up. Even though my eyes were looking so much better, I was frustrated because my vision was not good and I started reaching out for ideas and help.

I had multiple Optometrists and vision therapists reach out and say that Vivid Vision made a huge difference for their post-surgery strabismus patients. I was ready to try anything and finally took the plunge.

My local optometrist was not a Vivid Vision provider so I ended up finding an office across the country to manage my Vivid Vision and coordinate with my optometrist.

It has only been one month since I started Vivid Vision and I am amazed at the progress that I have made already. I have been dedicated and have done at least 30 minutes of Vivid Vision, but many times 45-60 minutes, every day. I miss maybe 1 day a week, tops. I also have been very dedicated to my other vision therapy exercises that are outside of virtual reality from my optometrist. 

Here is a summary of some of my gains:

• I have started being able to see with stereopsis in real life. If I slow down, relax, and open my peripheral vision, I can tell that things are gaining depth! It is happening more and more often and I love it. 
• I saw a stereogram at my ophthalmologist’s office for the first time in my ENTIRE LIFE- This is huge people! 
• I have gone from needing the prism settings to do any virtual reality activities, to being quite successful with no prism.
• I’ve gone from barely getting to 6 or 7 Base In demand (hard for esotropes) to getting to 25 (that was my new high this morning!)
• I’m also seeing more space and my peripheral vision has improved so much. I haven’t been feeling like I am “falling” or running into tables or doors near as often. My vision feels like it is back to where it was before surgery and maybe even better.

I can confidently recommend Vivid Vision to anyone with strabismus, amblyopia or any other binocular vision problems. It is an amazing, science backed, and fun virtual reality program that can take you far on your journey to improved vision!

How Does One Start Using Vivid Vision?

If you would like to try Vivid Vision, they have a super easy set up on their website to search for a provider near you, just click here to find a provider near you and they will get you started! They will find the Optometrist nearest that can manage your vision therapy and Vivid Vision subscription.

Read More:

You can read more about Melissa’s vision therapy journey at her website - Strabismus Solutions. Here are some of her posts relating to Vivid Vision:

An Honest Review of Vivid Vision: a Strabismic’s Perspective

Is Vivid Vision or Optics Trainer Better for Vision Therapy?

Read more about strabismus:

What is the difference between amblyopia and strabismus?

Or you can browse our collection of patient success stories:

Patient Success Stories: Betsy

Patient Success Stories: Emilia