A new method of understanding the impact of vision loss on a person’s life developed at CERA is now seeking volunteers to trial its accuracy.

The Assessment Tool for Occupational performance and Mobility – Multisensory approach (ATOMM) has been created to capture how people with vision impairment complete daily tasks.

The test has potential to be used as an assessment tool to measure how interventions could improve a person’s ability to perform common tasks.

“Traditional vision assessments, such as reading letters on an eye chart, don’t necessarily reflect a person’s ability to function in everyday life,” says Lisa Lombardi, one of the tool’s developers.

“Tasks such as crossing a street or making a cup of tea, require more than just visual acuity — they need a combination of tactile, auditory, and cognitive strategies.”

New methods

The ATOMM test has been specifically designed to be suitable for the Australian environment and focuses on not just if someone completes a task, but also how they complete it.

The test is also performed in a person’s home and local environment, making the results more applicable to a specific person’s daily life.

Lombardi says the test may play a role in detecting real-world changes in functional ability before and after medical interventions such as gene therapy, or orientation and mobility training.

“For instance, if a patient who previously relied entirely on a cane or guide dog for navigation begins using residual or bionic vision after a treatment, this tool may capture that shift,” she said.

The current trial is to assess the reliability of the tool and is recruiting people aged 18 years and over with a vision impairment caused by any eye condition that impacts their mobility.

People are welcome to register their interest in being considered for research at CERA and Cerulea Clinical Trials, including upcoming trials for ATOMM.