“It was testing me, but not distressing me.” Stroboscopic visual training in Parkinson’s disease: a qualitative study

Abstract Background Stroboscopic visual training is a novel rehabilitation technique which involves training under conditions of intermittent vision to enhance visual and perceptual skills. Stroboscopic glasses may be a useful adjunct to rehabilitation for people with neurological conditions, but very little is known about what it is like to train under conditions of interrupted vision. This study explores the experience of using stroboscopic glasses as a novel, digital adjunct to exercise for people with Parkinson’s. Method This qualitative study is embedded in a pilot randomised controlled trial investigating technological visuo-cognitive training in people with Parkinson’s. A subset of participants who used stroboscopic glasses as part of the trial were interviewed between January and November 2022. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted in participant homes. Transcribed data were coded and analysed thematically. Level of active participation with the strobe training was measured with the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale to add context to the qualitative data. Results Sixteen people with Parkinson’s were interviewed. Three overarching themes were identified: (1) The stroboscopic experience; (2) Acceptability of the strobe glasses; (3) Evaluation of stroboscopic visual training. Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale scores significantly increased from 3.6 after the first session to 4.7 at the final session ( p = < 0.001) indicating improved participation in the strobe training Conclusions Our study shows that in a supervised context, strobe glasses are an acceptable adjunct to exercise for people with Parkinson’s. However, reactions to the stroboscopic effect and fear of falling may affect independent use. Based on our findings, we make recommendations for future clinical research using strobe glasses in relation to eligibility criteria, methodology and risk assessment. Further work is required to explore the feasibility and efficacy of stroboscopic visual training in Parkinson’s disease to support its use in clinical practice. Trial registration This trial was listed on the ISRCTN registry with study ID ISRCTN46164906 on 21 April 2021.