Effects of Simulated Visual Impairment Conditions on Movement and Anxiety during Gap Crossing

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of visual conditions associated with progressive eye disease on movement patterns and anxiety levels during gap-crossing tasks. Notably, 15 healthy young adults performed crossover platforms with a 10 cm gap at three different heights, namely equal (0 cm), raised (+15 cm), and lowered (−15 cm) levels, under four vision conditions, namely normal or corrected eyesight, 10° tunnel vision, 5° tunnel vision, and 5° tunnel vision with 0.04 occlusion. Leg movements during gap crossing were analyzed using three-dimensional motion analysis. The results highlighted a distinct motion pattern in the trajectories of participants’ legs under the different visual conditions. Specifically, at the point where the gap-crossing movement began (D1), the normal or corrected eyesight conditions resulted in further separation between the steps compared with the other visual conditions. The highest point of the foot during movement (D2) did not differ between the visual conditions, except for the 0 cm step. Furthermore, anxiety levels, as quantified by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) questionnaire, were exacerbated under conditions of restricted visual information. In conclusion, visual impairments associated with progressive ocular diseases may perturb complex motor movement patterns, including those involved in gap-crossing tasks, with heightened anxiety potentially amplifying these disturbances.