Visual Attention to Economic Information in Simulated Ophthalmic Deficits: A Remote Eye-Tracking Study

This study investigated how simulated ophthalmic visual field deficits affect visual attention and economic information processing. Using webcam-based eye tracking, 227 participants with normal vision recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk were assigned to control, central vision loss, peripheral vision loss, or scattered vision loss simulation conditions. Participants viewed economic stimuli of varying complexity while eye movements, cognitive load, and comprehension were measured. All deficit conditions showed altered oculomotor behaviors. Central vision loss produced the most severe impairments: 43.6% increased fixation durations, 68% longer scanpaths, and comprehension accuracy of 61.2% versus 87.3% for controls. Visual deficits interacted with information complexity, showing accelerated impairment for complex stimuli. Mediation analysis revealed 47% of comprehension deficits were mediated through altered attention patterns. Cognitive load was significantly elevated, with central vision loss participants reporting 84% higher mental demand than controls. These findings demonstrate that visual field deficits fundamentally alter economic information processing through both direct perceptual limitations and compensatory attention strategies. Results demonstrate the feasibility of webcam-based eye tracking for studying simulated visual deficits and suggest that different types of simulated visual deficits may require distinct information presentation strategies.