GB2458708A

GB2458708A - Visual stimulator comprising coloured cards

Info

Publication number: GB2458708A
Application number: GB0807664A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Campbell Mckay Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-26
Filing date: 2008-04-28
Publication date: 2009-09-30
Also published as: GB0807664D0; GB0805422D0

Abstract

A visual stimulator to exercise the retinal cone cells of the eye comprises a red card with a central black spot (Fig. 2), a plain green card (Fig. 3) of complimentary colour to the red card to induce a yellow ghost image, and a green card with a central yellow spot (Fig. 4). In use, a patient stares at the black spot until it shows a halo, directs their view to the plain green card where a yellow ghost image appears, directs their view to the real yellow spot, then alternates between the black spot and the yellow spot to exercise the retinal cone cells. The visual stimulator may further comprise a yellow card with a central black spot (Fig. 5), a plain purple card (Fig. 6) and a purple card with a central yellow spot (Fig. 7) to be used in the same manner as the red and green cards. A black card may also be provided to rest the eyes.

Description

VISUAL STIMULATOR

Bearing in mind that there are two extreme conditions of human understanding, the great fear and withdrawal from annihilation and the evolution towards benign harmony of all; modern philosophy evinces that the purpose of humanity is, in part, to turn a deteriorating situation into an improving situation, therefore an improvement in borderline visual acuity, improving workaday, driving and recreational vision aligns with this progression.

When a red object is viewed for a short period and afterwards the gaze is directed to a blank white area an impression of a green after image is normally seen -in this scenario red is termed the incident colour; green the complimentary colour. This behaviour pattern suggests that the colour responsive cone cells at the centre of the fovea, pass through a cycle from a neutral state, when stimulated, bleached by an incident colour thereby transformed by a process of an after image, to a state where the incident colour is dissolved returning the cell to the neutral state, in preparation for the next cycle of visual performance.

This phenomenon forms the basis of an exercise which is one of a plurality of visual enticement procedures utilised to enhance the performance of the cones, thereby increasing the efficiency of the human eye so that the visual acuity might improve, for example, from 6/9 to or 6/6, such improvement has been achieved by a considerable number of patients with low visual potential.

This after image exercise stimulates the normal behaviour of the retinal cone cells augmenting and enticing the improved function of the reluctant cells, the exercise is motivated by inducing the retinal cone cells to bleach to a viewed combination chart with a coloured spot target centred on a different coloured background, thereafter establishing the ability to visualise an after image of the central target viewed. Now a chart with a central spot of complimentary colour to that of the first viewed chart is placed beside the first chart and the patient instructed to visually alternate between the two.

Most viewed colours create the impression of an after image, therefore any coloured combination in tandem with double complimentary colours may be used for this exercise but satisfactory results are obtained by utilising a black target spot on a red card, establishing a ghost yellow after image on a plain green background and after establishing this ghost image then aligning the said ghost after image with a real yellow spot target centred on a complimentary green card.

Thus a Visual Stimulator unit comprises a central black spot on a red card, a plain green card, and a green card with a central yellow spot.

The Patient is instructed to gaze at the black spot, until it pulsates and shows a halo, usually about 30 seconds, without blinking then directed to view the plain green sheet where a ghost yellow after image should appear. Which failing the process is repeated increasing the time of observation until the ghost image is revealed.

Now the Green card with the real central yellow spot is introduced, the patient instructed to oscillate the gaze by pausing on the black spot, transferring the gaze to the yellow spot on the green card then flashing quickly back to pause briefly on the black spot on the red card; alternating the gaze pausing on the red card and flashing quickly on the green card.

Ultra violet light starts at approximately lOOnm but visible violet light occurs between 380nm and 400nm, the cone cells have a strong peak in the middle of the yellow-green region and therefore included in the pack are a further set of cards comprising: A yellow card with a black spot, a plain purple card and a purple card with a yellow spot; these are processed in the same way as the red and green cards described above, so that all the retinal cone cells are embraced in theses phototransduction exercises.

This exercise is performed by the patient, at home, once or twice daily for 5 -10 minutes, and then invited to return after 3 -6 months to the practice for a progress check.

In this exercise the retinal cone cells act like tiny pistons, bleaching and neutralising, this is the behaviour pattern of their daily function; by augmenting this function the visual efficiency of the retinal cone cells is increased.

The afterimage is purer when the stimulating colour is stared at without blinking, blinking disturbs the process evincing that colour viewing continuity is dependent on the blinking process so blinking is an integral part of the colour viewing cycle, of course a blink is momentary but when the speed of light [299,792,458 metres per second] is taken into account and considering the eye is designed to cope with this speed, a blink is relatively lengthy.

By the same token the cells of the retina benefit from a rest period when the whole process is shut down by black adaptation.

Black adaptation, rendered by covering the eyes with a dark towel or eye pads, for a few minutes from time to time, is therefore visually beneficial after exercising or excess television or computer viewing giving the eyes and the brain a welcome rest.

[Included in the package is a plain black card designed to help to understand black adaptation, proceed by gazing at the black card thinking of nothing, clearing the mind of all concerns, for a short period, this period should be increased daily to a practical level.

Start by gazing at the black chart for a short period of 30 seconds, keeping the mind clear of all thought, gradually extending this until you are able to do this for five to 10 minutes. Practice when you retire at night in the semi dark, clear your mind of all thought then close your eyes and drift off to sleep. Repeat this procedure should you waken during the night.

Should tiredness occur after exercising, or at any time during the working day from computer operation or television viewing then a visit to the rest room is indicated where eyes are rested by gazing at the black card for 5 -10 minutes; this relaxation is helped by covering the eyes with a towel or eye pads, visualising blackness.

In the interest of maintaining sterilization it is advisable to place a tissue between the towel or eye pads and the eyes.

Care must be observed where there is good Visual Acuity in one eye and poor acuity in the other to ensure that the two eyes can achieve visual harmony by normal or prismatic correction since inducing troublesome double vision must be avoided, espedally in the case of a strabismus [squint].

Few people enjoy a regimen of exercising, however when vision is borderline the incentive is there, especially when the patient is rewarded by greater visual efficiency, when that 6/24 or 6/18 patient achieves a one to two line increase and is rendered a benefit which is usually greatly appreciated.

DRAWINGS

1 A graph showing normal response to Short, Medium and Long responsive cone cells.

2 This drawing illustrates a black target spot on a red

background.

3 In this presentation a plain green background,

complimentary to the red background, is shown.

4 This illustration exhibits a target yellow spot on the above

green background.

A yellow card with a centred black spot is exhibited here.

6 The sixth illustration shows a plain purple card.

7 The seventh illustration shows a target yellow spot on a purple back ground.

8 The eighth illustration shows a plain black card which is used to relax the eyes.