Head Mounted Eye Tracking Aid for Central Visual Field Loss

Abstract

Age-Related Macular Degeneration results in central visual field loss (CFL) due to formation of central blind-spots or scotomas. Activities like reading are affected. We hypothesize that real-time remapping of lost information due to CFL onto a functional portion of the retina will improve visual performance. We have developed two hardware prototypes using a head-mounted display, integrated eye-tracker, and computer to remap and display images in real-time to the wearer. To test, in three different studies, normally-sighted subjects were asked to wear the head-mounted display with the built-in eye tracker. CFL was simulated by placing artificial circular scotomas ranging from 2° to 16° diameter over the gaze position, and reading speed was measured for the remapped and unremapped condition. We observed a statistically significant increase in mean reading speeds for the larger scotomas. Results indicate that the device shows promise for use with CFL patients.