Low-Cost Eye Movement Recording - A Pilot Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Low-Cost Eye Movement Recording - A Pilot Study
IRAS ID
311184
Contact name
Gemma Arblaster
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Detailed recordings of eye movements are an important part of the investigation and diagnosis of nystagmus, which is a condition where the eyes constantly move rather than stay still. Eye movement recording is not available in every eye clinic due to the cost of the eye tracking equipment and the expertise required to interpret the results.
This pilot study aims to compare a low-cost eye tracker (Fove virtual reality (VR) headset) to a currently available eye tracking device (Eyelink 1000+). The aim is to find out whether the low-cost device could provide results that are sufficiently accurate to be useful to support the clinical picture of nystagmus.
The Eyelink 1000+ is an eye tracker already used in clinical practice to support the interpretation of the eye movement and in research studies. The Fove VR headset is commercially available and most used for video gaming, and it already has eye tracking capabilities built into it.
In this pilot study volunteers with nystagmus will be recruited from the eye clinic and from a national nystagmus charity (Nystagmus Network). Volunteers without nystagmus (with stable eye position) will be recruited from eye clinic staff. All volunteers will have their eye movements recorded with both devices.
Firstly, expert clinicians will interpret the recordings from the two devices to see whether the low-cost Fove VR headset can record eye movements with enough accuracy to enable an expert to diagnose the presence of nystagmus and the subtype of nystagmus. Secondly, the results recorded from the two devices will be compared. Thirdly, participant views of the two devices will be compared.
The results of this pilot study will inform an application for a possible future larger trial exploring the use of low-cost eye tracking for the investigation, diagnosis and management of nystagmus and other eye movement disorders in the eye clinic.
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/PR/0541
Date of REC Opinion
29 Apr 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion