Phase II year
2022
(last award dollars: 2023)
Phase II Amount
$2,175,115
The goal of our project is to further develop the tracking scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TSLO), the Retitrack device, to enable widespread use of the technology for high-resolution eye- tracking for head injuries, such as mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussions. Phase I of this grant enabled the collection of data from 50 patients who had recently been diagnosed with a concussion both during their acute recovery period and upon clearance. Accounting for age and time since injury, fixational eye motion metrics were able to predict individuals with prolonged recovery (AUC=0.81; 95% CI: 0.68-0.93; p<0.001). The Retitrack brings an unprecedented level of accuracy of eye tracking to the clinic by using an image-based retinal approach resulting in motion measurements with a sensitivity of 0.25 arcmin (~1 micron). Currently, this system is the most accurate, fast and functional eye-tracking system used in a standard ophthalmic instrument. Research has suggested that pupil eye-tracking technologies have validated the idea of using eye movements as a biomarker of concussion, but the current eye-trackers available lack the capacity, repeatability, and sensitivity to predict recovery in mTBI. The Retitrack device can accurately measure fixational eye movements (FEMs), quantify retinal saccades at an unprecedented level, and can become an emerging biomarker of mTBI prognosis. Furthermore, it can serve as an indicator of severity in the symptomatology of multiple other neurological disorders. The Retitrack device as a concussive prognostic tool would be the perfect fit for Sport Medicine Clinics and the locker room for post-concussion recovery monitoring ensuring a safe return to activity and mitigating long-term consequences of concussion by guiding the most effective therapies. Further optimization of fixational tasks and the construction of innovative software that uses Artificial Intelligence algorithms to automatically quantify retinal microsaccades which will lead to the improvement of predicting the recovery and/or worsening of concussion.
Public Health Relevance Statement: Narrative C. Light Technologies, Inc. is the expert designer and manufacturer of the Retitrack, which has the ability to accurately monitor and track fixational eye movements and voluntary saccades at a tracking sensitivity down to 0.25 arcminutes. With a variety of neural disorders presenting with oculomotor dysfunction, the Retitrack's noninvasive eye-tracking capabilities could provide objective prognostication and disease monitoring, leading to the most efficacious treatments possible.
Project Terms: Accounting; Adult; 21+ years old; Adult Human; adulthood; Age; ages; Algorithms; Anatomy; Anatomic; Anatomic Sites; Anatomic structures; Anatomical Sciences; Artificial Intelligence; AI system; Computer Reasoning; Machine Intelligence; Brain Concussion; Cerebral Concussion; Commotio Cerebri; concussion; Calibration; Data Analyses; Data Analysis; data interpretation; Data Collection; Diagnosis; Disease; Disorder; Eye; Eyeball; Eye Movements; Future; Goals; Gold; Grant; Craniocerebral Trauma; Craniocerebral Injuries; Head Injuries; Head Trauma; Interest Group; Lasers; Laser Electromagnetic; Laser Radiation; Learning; Light; Photoradiation; Literature; Longitudinal Studies; long-term study; longitudinal outcome studies; longterm study; Motion; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Disorders; Neurological Disorders; neurological disease; nervous system disorder; Orthopedic; Orthopedic Surgical Profession; Orthopedics; Patients; Play; Public Health; Pupil; Research; Retina; Saccadic Eye Movements; Saccadic Pursuit; Saccades; Software; Computer software; Specificity; Sports Medicine; Technology; Testing; Time; Universities; Work; Measures; Injury; injuries; base; Ophthalmoscopes; Funduscopes; Acute; Clinical; Phase; Retinal Cone; Cone Photoreceptors; cone cell; Ensure; prognostic; Stimulus; Visual; function luminance; luminance; Individual; Recovery; Measurement; Acquired brain injury; brain damage; brain-injured; Brain Injuries; Dysfunction; Physiopathology; pathophysiology; Functional disorder; tool; instrument; machine learned; Machine Learning; programs; Involuntary Movements; Severities; Scanning; Clinic; Pattern; System; disease severity; Severity of illness; Post-Concussion Symptoms; Post-Concussive Symptoms; Post-Concussive Syndrome; Post-Concussion Syndrome; experience; eye tracking; visual tracking; neural; relating to nervous system; novel; Categories; Devices; response; ocular motor; ocularmotor; oculomotor; Brain Trauma; traumatic brain damage; Traumatic Brain Injury; Intervention Strategies; interventional strategy; Intervention; Manufacturer Name; Manufacturer; CNS Injury; injured CNS; central nervous system injury; Address; Symptoms; prognostic biomarker; Prognostic Marker; Resolution; research clinical testing; Clinical Evaluation; Clinical Testing; clinical test; Monitor; Process; sample fixation; Fixation; Image; imaging; injured; design; designing; Outcome; innovation; innovate; innovative; Network-based; high risk; evidence base; effective therapy; effective treatment; Biological Markers; bio-markers; biologic marker; biomarker; phase 1 study; Phase I Study; adolescent patient; prognostic tool; mild traumatic brain injury; MTBI; mild TBI; mild brain trauma; learning network; multiple sclerosis patient; MS patient; patients with MS; patients with multiple sclerosis; specific biomarkers; symptomatology; recurrent neural network; deep neural network; deep learning based neural network; deep learning neural network; deep neural net; machine learning algorithm; machine learned algorithm; machine learning based algorithm; efficacious treatment; efficacious therapy; Prognosis; prognostication; prognosis biomarker; prognosis marker; artificial intelligence algorithm; AI algorithm
