Kinetic visual field apparatus and method

• US 6,290,357 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Massengill Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Virtual-Eye.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Massengill, R. Kemp, McClure, Richard J., Braeuning, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US09/535,940
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 351/209, 351/210, 345/7, 345/8, 345/156, 345/157
• US Class Current: 351/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/024 for determining the visual field, e.g. perimeter types
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A method and apparatus for testing the visual field of a patient, with a head mounted display, which displays a central fixation icon and a variable peripheral stimulus icon, and which senses the responses of the patient by tracking the gaze of the patient, as the gaze shifts between the central fixation icon and the peripheral stimulus icon.

Claims

1. A visual field testing apparatus comprising:

a display adapted to be mounted to the head of a patient, for movement with the head;

a gaze tracking device mounted with said display;

a computer connected to said display and said gaze tracking device;

wherein said computer is programmed to generate a gaze fixation target at a selected location on said display;

wherein said computer is programmed to selectively generate a visual stimulus at any one of a plurality of points on said display; and

wherein said computer is programmed to detect movement of the patient'"'"'s gaze between said fixation target and said visual stimulus.

2. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising an autointerpretation device connected to said computer for interpreting gaze tracking signals from said computer to evaluate the visual field of a patient.

3. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein said autointerpretation device comprises a neural network.

4. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein said autointerpretation device utilizes a rule-based protocol.

5. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said computer is located at a local test site, further comprising:

a remote computer, located remote from said local test site, said remote computer being programmed to input visual stimulus signals into said local computer and to receive gaze tracking signals from said local computer; and

a data transmission system connecting said local computer to said remote computer.

6. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said data transmission system comprises the Internet.

7. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said computer is programmed to vary a characteristic of said gaze fixation target.

8. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said characteristic is luminosity.

9. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said characteristic is size.

10. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said characteristic is color.

11. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said characteristic is shape.

12. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said computer is programmed to vary a characteristic of said visual stimulus.

13. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said characteristic is luminosity.

14. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said characteristic is size.

15. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said characteristic is color.

16. The visual field testing apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said characteristic is shape.

17. A method for testing the visual field of a patient, said method comprising:

mounting a display device to the head of a patient, for movement with the head, said display device having a gaze tracking device;

providing a computer connected to said display and said gaze tracking device;

generating a gaze fixation target, with said computer, at a selected location on said display;

sequentially generating a visual stimulus, with said computer, at a plurality of points on said display; and

detecting movement of the patient'"'"'s gaze, with said computer, between said fixation target and said visual stimulus.

18. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising interpreting gaze tracking signals from said computer, with an autointerpretation device, to evaluate the visual field of a patient.

19. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising:

providing a remote computer, located remote from said local test site;

connecting said local computer to said remote computer with a data transmission system;

inputting visual stimulus signals, with said remote computer, into said local computer; and

receiving gaze tracking signals, with said remote computer, from said local computer.

20. The method recited in claim 19, wherein said data transmission system comprises the Internet.

21. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising varying a characteristic of said gaze fixation target, with said computer.

22. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising varying a characteristic of said visual stimulus, with said computer.

23. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising interpreting gaze tracking signals from said computer, with a neural network, to evaluate the visual field of a patient.

24. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising interpreting gaze tracking signals from said computer, with an autointerpretation device utilizing a rule-based protocol, to evaluate the visual field of a patient.