A study commissioned by the Israeli Air Force has shown that using a new app from GlassesOff resulted in “significant improvements in critical visual functions” of pilots in need of reading glasses.
The study, which was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, showed that by using the mobile app pilots improved across multiple visual functions, including 35% improvement in visual acuity and 24% improvement in image processing speed.
The study was commissioned by the IAF and conducted in collaboration with the IAF’s Israeli Aeromedical Unit (IAMU). Yuval Levy, MD, Vice Director of the Wolfson Medical Center in Israel and former commander of the IAMU, was the principal investigator of the study.
“I believe these effects will result in operational benefits for Air Force pilots,” stated Dr. Levy. “By improving visual stimuli response rates and increasing visual field size, Air Force pilots would identify faster and react quicker to objects rapidly entering the pilots’ visual field, such as missiles or other aircraft. In addition, they are expected to have better performance while using night vision goggles or helmet display.”
The study included pilots who had symptoms of age-related decline in near vision and would likely soon require reading glasses for flights, and pilots who were already required to wear reading glasses during flights.
The study participants were given extensive vision exams prior to beginning the GlassesOff program.
They then engaged in three, 12-15 minute sessions a week of playing the GlassesOff app over a two to four month period. Thirty-two pilots completed the GlassesOff program, and 28 were then given another extensive vision exam. The results demonstrated a 35% improvement in visual acuity and 24% improvement in image processing speed, according to the researchers..
More than 70% of the participants also reported substantial changes in their near visual acuity and 60% reported improved reaction times, the researchers added..
GlassesOff is a neuroscience technology company, which developed the app to improve near vision sharpness, by improving the image processing function in the visual cortex of the brain. The GlassesOff app aims to eliminate dependence on reading glasses of people age of 40 and older who experience the inevitable age-related changes in their near vision sharpness. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play.