TRAINING TECHNIQUES

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF TEACHING GOOD EYES TO SEE BETTER, PARTICULARLY AT GREAT DISTANCES, USING A UNIQUELY INNOVATIVE BIOFEEDBACK CONDITIONING TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED BY THE PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR. INITIALLY VOLITIONAL FOCUS CONTROL IS ACQUIRED BY LISTENING TO A TONE, PRESENTED TO ONE EAR ONLY, THAT GOES UP AND DOWN IN PITCH WITH INWARD AND OUTWARD EYE ACCOMMODATION (MEASURED BY AN AUTOMATIC INFRARED TRACKING OPTOMETER). GRADUALLY THE SUBJECT ASSOCIATES PITCH WITH THE "FEEL" OF FOCUSING. IN THE FINAL PHASE, THE SUBJECT CAN CONTROL FOCUS VOLITIONALLY TO MATCH THE ACTUAL FOCUS TONE TO DIFFERENT DESIRES OR "COMMAND" TONES PRESENTED TO THE OTHER EAR, EITHER IN THE ABSCENCE OF VISUAL STIMULI, OR IN THE PRESENCE OF CONFLICTING VISUAL STIMULI. THE RESEARCH WILL LEAD TO AN AUTOMATED, COMPUTER-BASED ADAPTATION OF A LARGELY MANUAL SYSTEM CURRENTLY BEING USED TO ELICIT REMISSIONS OF FUNCTIONAL MYOPIA IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS. BY PROGRAMMING THE SYSTEM TO PRESENT VISUAL STIMULI, MEASURE FOCUS RESPONSES, AND ADJUST THE BRANCHING TRAINING SCENARIO IN ACCORDANCE WITH INDIVIDUAL SUBJECT RESPONSES, THE NEED FOR COSTLY INSTRUCTOR TRAINING WILL BE AVERTED. PAST EXPERIENCE AND CURRENT SUCCESS IN EXTENDED FOCUS FAR POINTS SUGGEST THAT THE TOP 20 PERCENT OF PILOT'S EYES CAN BE TRAINED TO PERFORM AT THE PRESENT 99TH PERCENTILE.