Case Report of Anomalous Head Posture Correction with Low Vision Aid Using Virtual Reality

Purpose: To report the successful rehabilitation of a patient with anomalous head posture by using a virtual reality low vision aid (VRLVA). Case summary: A 75-year-old male diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration 15 years prior presented with an anomalous head posture for eccentric viewing. He had central scotoma within the central 10 degrees, and the preferred retinal locus (PRL) was localized to the inferonasal retina. The patient underwent a training session on the use of the VRLVA, which has a re-mapping function to remap distorted images, and those falling on the scotoma, to another location on the screen. After explaining the purpose of the VRLVA, the patient was given the device to use at home for two weeks. At two weeks after training, the patient could look straight ahead when using the VRLVA, without anomalous head posture. In addition, reading performance, including speed and accuracy, improved; moreover, he experienced no device-related adverse events. Conclusions: By using the VRLVA, low-vision patients with anomalous head posture can shift images falling on the central scotoma to the PRL, thereby minimizing their anomalous head posture and improving reading performance. We expect that future technological advances, such as a wearable design and the use of lightweight material, will further improve the performance and acceptability of the VRLVA.