Novel photobiomodulation therapy enhances color discrimination of color vision deficiency due to OPN1LW and/or OPN1MW gene mutations

PurposeTo investigate the correlations of OPN1LW/OPN1MW (LW/MW) genotypes and clinical phenotypes in individuals with protan/deutan congenital color vision deficiency(CVD), and to explore photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy effects for CVD. DesignSingle-center consecutive, retrospective, observational study Participants43 subjects (41 males and 2 females) of protan/deutan CVD from the senior ophthalmology department of the PLA General Hospital. MethodsOpen-label, single-arm, 4-week pilot trial. Analysis of genetic, clinical, and color vision tests was performed cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry website (ChiCTR2200056761). Main Outcome Measurestypes of LW/MW variants, correlation of genotype and phenotype, color discrimination improvements of CVD after PBM therapy. ResultsClinically, the LW gene mutation (8 cases) causes protan CVD, the MW gene mutation (17 cases) and no definite gene mutation (10 cases) cause deutan CVD, dual mutations of LW and MW cause protan (5 cases) or deutan (3 cases) CVD. After individualized therapy, the effects of the MW gene mutation and no definite gene mutation groups are better than those of the LW gene mutation and dual mutations groups. ConclusionsFor protan/deutan CVD, PBM therapy can enhance color discrimination, and the result of gene detection is helpful to diagnose the clinical phenotype and predict the therapeutic effects of color vision correction. Financial Disclosure(s)The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article.