Push-pull training reduces interocular suppression in amblyopic vision J-Y Zhang1, Y-X Yang1, S Klein2, D Levi2, C Yu1 |
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1Department of Psychology, Peking University, China |
| Amblyopia is characterized by poor visual acuity in AE eyes and degraded stereoacuity, which can be improved through perceptual learning. Here we studied whether a push-pull training method, which reduces interocular suppression, could further improve vision in amblyopes who have practiced >60 hours in regular perceptual learning experiments. In push-pull training, AE practiced contrast discrimination while NAE was presented with bandpass noise centered at 1/2 cutoff frequency. A staircase measured the tolerable noise contrast (TNC) in NAE for successful contrast discrimination in AE. In pre- and post-tests, AE and NAE stimuli were switched to measure TNC in AE. Interocular suppression was the difference between AE and NAE TNCs. Push-pull training (ten 2-hr sessions) increased TNC in NAE, and reduced interocular suppression by ~60%. This reduction didn’t transfer to an orthogonal orientation or a tumbling-E task. Training also improved stereoacuity by 25%, on top of the 54.7% improvement from previous perceptual learning, but had no further impact on AE visual acuity. Push-pull training thus reduces interocular suppression in an orientation and task specific manner in well-practiced amblyopes, which further improves stereoacuity, but not AE visual acuity. The task specificity suggests the involvement of high-level processes. |
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