The effects of induced optical blur on visual search performance and training

Musa, Azuwan and Lane, Alison and Ellison, Amanda (2021) The effects of induced optical blur on visual search performance and training. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (Special Issue). ISSN 1747-0218 E-ISSN 1747-0226

PDF - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (897kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Visual search is a task often used in the rehabilitation of patients with cortical and non-cortical visual pathologies such as visual field loss. Reduced visual acuity is often comorbid with these disorders, and it remains poorly defined how low visual acuity may affect a patient’s ability to recover visual function through visual search training. The two experiments reported here investigated whether induced blurring of vision (from 6/15 to 6/60) in a neurotypical population differentially affected various types of feature search tasks, whether there is a minimal acceptable level of visual acuity required for normal search performance, and whether these factors affected the degree to which participants could improve with training. From the results, it can be seen that reducing visual acuity did reduce search speed, but only for tasks where the target was defined by shape or size (not colour), and only when acuity was worse than 6/15. Furthermore, searching behaviour was seen to improve with training in all three feature search tasks, irrespective of the degree of blurring that was induced. The improvement also generalised to a non-trained search task, indicating that an enhanced search strategy had been developed. These findings have important implications for the use of visual search as a rehabilitation aid for partial visual loss, indicating that individuals with even severe comorbid blurring should still be able to benefit from such training.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Feature search, optical blur, perceptual learning, visual acuity
Subjects:	R Medicine > RE Ophthalmology
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Medicine > Department of Ophthalmology
Depositing User:	Dr. Azuwan Musa
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2021 10:13
Last Modified:	18 Oct 2021 10:13
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/93108

Actions (login required)

View Item