QOL-46. EFFECTIVENESS OF A TELEREHABILITATION PROGRAM TO IMPROVE VISUAL PERCEPTION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH HEMIANOPIA CONSECUTIVE TO A BRAIN TUMOUR

Brain tumours in children often lead to visual impairment, which presents as a significant morbidity for long-term survivors. A recent Children Cancer Survivor Study showed that 22.5% of the patients with astroglial tumours had visual impairment five years after the diagnosis. In the pediatric population with hemianopia, there are no standardized protocols for managing vision loss. This study evaluated a 6-week home-based telerehabilitation program (home-based 3D-MOT-IVR) on visual perception in children with hemianopia consecutive to a brain tumour.

This phase 2a, open-labelled, non-randomized, single-arm study included ten patients aged 12-18 years old with hemianopia consecutive to a pediatric brain tumour. Patients followed a 6-week home-based 3D-MOT-IVR with remote control of the device from the UHN laboratory. Visual assessments were performed at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 weeks, with follow-ups at 1 and 6 months to check the visual field, contrast sensitivity and reading speed.

The home-based 3D-MOT-IVR intervention proved feasible and safe, with no reported adverse events. All participants completed the prescribed stimulations, pre- and post-intervention assessment points, and 90% completed the follow-ups. Remarkably, the outcomes revealed significant improvements post-intervention: 50% of participants showed enhanced visual perception in their blind field, while 70% exhibited increased reading speed. Importantly, these positive effects were sustained at the 6-month follow-up. A robust correlation emerged between 3D-MOT-IVR performance and improved visual perception in the blind field, emphasizing the intervention’s effectiveness.

These promising results lay a strong foundation for a larger randomized controlled trial, offering hope for a meaningful breakthrough in visual rehabilitation for this vulnerable population. Further studies are being developed to confirm these results and identify the most appropriate schedules to optimize visual outcomes (such as duration and repetition of these programs).