Development and Effectiveness Validation of a Training Program on Saccadic Eye Movement of Stroke Patients

Abstract

This study developed a saccadic eye movement training program and attempted to verify its effectiveness as a tool for training saccadic eye movements in stroke patients. This study included 26 stroke patients. The subjects were classified into an experimental group and a control group through random allocation, and the King-Devick test was administered as the pre-test. After the pre-test, the experimental group performed an existing occupational therapy intervention and a saccadic eye movement training program intervention for a total of 16 sessions. The control group underwent existing occupational therapy and additional occupational therapy interventions. After four weeks, the experimental and control groups were re-tested. The time and number of errors in the King-Devick test before and after intervention in both groups showed statistically significant differences (p<.05), and both parameters in the King-Devick test decreased after the intervention. In addition, the time and number of errors in the King-Devick test in the experimental group after the intervention were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<.05). This study showed that the saccadic eye movement training program had a positive effect on saccadic eye movements in stroke patients.