WO2013011165A1

WO2013011165A1 - System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation

Info

Publication number: WO2013011165A1
Application number: PCT/ES2012/000194
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lydia MEDINA RAMIREZ; Consuelo Villena Cepeda; Fernández-Balbuena Álvarez; Ricardo BERNÁRDEZ VILALBOA
Original assignee: Universidad Complutense De Madrid
Priority date: 2011-07-21
Filing date: 2012-07-12
Publication date: 2013-01-24
Also published as: ES2418904A1; ES2418904B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a device in the form of a bar and a system for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral vision anticipation. The solution consists in determining when the visual stimulus appears in the peripheral visual field and in estimating the appearance of said stimulus at a pre-determined point, recording if anticipation or dilation occurs, using two identical symmetrical bars on which rows of LED lights of different colours are illuminated in a pre-determined order. The invention solves the problem of determining both measurements under conditions closer to those of the working or playing reality with lighting similar to ambient lighting.

Description

TITLE

System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation.

SECTOR OF THE TECHNIQUE

The invention falls within the field of Optometry and Ophthalmology, specifically in the determination of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation in people.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

The visual field in people is defined by the area in which each person is able to see with the fixed eyes at a point and its full extent ranges from 60 ° nasal to 90 ° temporary and from 60 ° upper to 80 ° lower.

Thanks to the visual field, the peripheral retina can perceive objects that are not in the direct axis of vision and is especially sensitive to displacements, its most characteristic function being motion detection. Perimetry determines the visual boundaries in its contour. A greater decrease in visual acuity is perceived in the temporal retina area.

The peripheral visual field, outside the central 30 degrees, is approximately five times larger in surface than the central field and this will require a considerably long examination time in order to analyze it.

It is currently evaluated by three different methods: the visual field confrontation test, the tangent screen test or Goldmann visual field test and the automated perimetry.

The following is a summary of each visual exam.

Visual field confrontation test: it is a basic and rapid review of the visual field in which the examiner sits directly in front of the person examined, 50 cm at eye level. The examinee will cover one eye and stare into the opposite eye of the examiner with the other. A stimulus is placed where the examinee cannot see it and slowly moves towards their line of sight. You will be asked to say when you can see that stimulus. Later it is repeated with the other eye.

Tangent screen exam or Goldmann visual field test: the examined person should sit approximately 1 meter away from a screen with

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) A target in the center. You are asked to stare at the object in the center and let the examiner know when you can see an object that is moving towards your lateral vision. This test creates a map of your complete peripheral vision.

Automated perimetry: the examined person sits in front of a concave dome and stares at an object in the middle. You will press a button when you see small flashes of light in your peripheral vision. Your answers help determine if you have a defect in the visual field.

Peripheral vision is considered crucial in team sports and there are several studies that report a superior development of the visual field in players who play sports. Even within these players, there are differences between those who have more experience (the expert uses peripheral vision while the inexperienced uses the central vision) and differences between players who play as a team (higher level of peripheral vision) or at the individual level.

Using the dynamic perimetry method, the stimulus moves slowly from the periphery of the visual field to the point of sight fixation.

The reaction time to the stimuli received in the periphery is longer than to those captured in the central region, but the visual panorama is wider and the perception is executed earlier, which compensates for the delay of the reaction.

On the other hand, peripheral vision varies in the same subject according to the chromatic characteristics of the stimulus. That is, players with white or red shirts will not be captured in the same way on the pitch and even then, they will react to them faster than if they were playing with blue, black or purple shirts.

In addition, the athlete perceives the moving object before discriminating the color in question.

Currently, the peripheral visual field is evaluated with limited equipment in space, at distances within a dome, where the stimuli to be used in the measurement are located, with lighting problems and therefore must be performed in a dark room, avoiding the reflections on the surface perceived by the person examined.

The new invention aims to avoid these completely disparate conditions with the illumination of a normal activity of a person or a game played by athletes from different disciplines on deck, within a sports center or center

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) of any sport, with an artificial light away from the dark room enabled for the measurement of the central and peripheral visual field.

In US5953101 a portable and handheld collimator is used to verify and measure peripheral vision loss.

In US201070296054 a method for improving peripheral vision is added by adding objects or videos in the peripheral vision area while fixing the view at a central point (fovea). Any type of electronic device that has a screen for the reproduction of images is used: mobile phones, tablets, computers, ...

In WO20110239478 a system for evaluating peripheral vision through the use of videos and animations is presented. The subject to be evaluated is monitored by a camera that sends the images obtained to a second computer screen in such a way that the examiner can observe the movements of the examinee's eyes while performing the automated perimetry test.

Another difference with this standardized instrument is the kinetic sequence produced by the computer program included in the measuring bar for peripheral vision to be protected, which causes the stimuli to simulate a slide in a lane, due to its arrangement in the bar; in front of the random presentations of the stimuli in the dome, as if they were loose points and without any sensation of movement.

This measure should be the key so that the instrument is sufficiently attractive as a system of measurement and training of athletes and make a statistically significant difference so that the success of the play is total.

It is intended that any collective sports coach be interested in these two measures, determination of the kinetic or dynamic peripheral visual field and peripheral anticipation, to check the deficiencies of some players of their squad, displacing them from their current position when necessary and take advantage of more the play area where its peripheral visual field is most effective, given the physical and tactical characteristics of the valued athlete, deficient in an incorrect position.

This invention aims to cover deficit aspects of the evaluation of the quality of vision in these professionals but also to discover defects of this type in other professionals such as drivers of any type of transport or people who have to have their eyes focused on a point for their job. They may suffer variations of the environment, which on the road can be crossed from any object of

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) Surprisingly, or that there are important lateral movements that could jeopardize the activity of any active person or worker.

Another added advantage is that it can be used as a subjective test of evaluation of peripheral vision in the open field because the equipment can be moved outside the laboratory. In this way, measures closer to the natural conditions of work or play are achieved.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a complete system for measuring and assessing kinetic peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation in any person with good optical compensation, with glasses or contact lenses, and a visual acuity greater than 0.8.

It can also be used as a subjective test of evaluation of peripheral vision in the open field, so it is useful in sports vision, both in Optometry and Ophthalmology.

To carry out the measurements a device is used, in the form of a bar, which is also claimed and used in duplicate. The two bars are equal and symmetrical with respect to an axis that passes through the person evaluated. They are hollow, of rectangular section, (figure 1) and are made of any rigid material.

Each bar has on the front side two rows of seven lights each: one of LED (Light Emitting Diode) of white color (1) at the top and another of RGB LEDs (Red, Green, Blue) three-color (2), Red, blue and green, at the bottom. On that same front side, a liquid crystal screen (3) is placed on one of the bars.

A control element (4) is incorporated just above the sixth LED light, starting to count from the furthest part of the examined. This element is solid, dark in color, to accentuate the contrast with the light color of the bar, and also rectangular in shape. It is perpendicular to the bar.

On the back of the bar there are two switches (8,9), one to exchange the lighting of the white or three-color lights and the other to vary the color to show in the three-color LED lights between red, blue and green.

Two external pushbuttons (10.11) are also connected to the bar, using two cables.

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) Inside the bar is an electronic circuit (3) to perform the programmed functions, based on a PIC microchip (6) to control the lights, and the connections between it and the switches (8,9), the lights ( 1, 2), the buttons (10.11) and the liquid crystal display (3). There is also a power supply for the system.

The bars are mounted on tripods (Fig. 2) and to attach them a hole (7) is attached to the center of its lower plate, which holds them. The tripods are adjusted in height to level the bars with the eyes of the person evaluated. They also allow the measurement of the limits of the peripheral visual field in several directions and for this there is a pendular level, which measures the angle of inclination, placed in the center of the bar.

The system works as follows for the measurement of peripheral vision. The person to be evaluated is placed sitting between the two symmetrical and equidistant bars, at a certain distance from them. The bars are level at eye level. This person then has to fix his sight at a central point located at a certain distance, in such a way that he cannot change the position of the head or move the eyes. Hold a button (10) attached to a bar in each hand: in the right hand the one connected to the right bar and in the left hand, the one connected to the left bar.

The optician-optometrist or professional in charge will also have two push buttons (11), one in each hand, such as the one examined. This activates the chosen sequence of lights, successively turning on the rows of lights, sometimes from the right bar and sometimes from the left. Sometimes the white and other three-colored lights, but in a single preset color, activating the switches (8, 9).

The row lights are turned on, at the desired speed, in an orderly manner: first the LED farthest from the person, then the next nearest, then the next and so on until the one closest to the examinee is turned on at the end. That is, from the periphery of the visual field to the point of fixation of the view and simulating the displacement of the stimulus along the entire lateral as a moving object. The examinee will have to be able to perceive the visual stimulus, in this case a light from the row on, indicating the precise moment in which it is perceived. At that time the stimulus has entered its peripheral field of vision and the examinee will have to press the corresponding button on the side on which he received the stimulus, interrupting the operation. You will also have to indicate the color of the light received.

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) The liquid crystal display (3) will reflect the time elapsed from the lighting of the manually selected LED row until the person can see the stimulus when it reaches the limits of the useful or functionally active peripheral field.

For the measurement of peripheral visual anticipation the process of lighting the lights is the same and is also initiated by the examiner. On this occasion the person will have to press the button (10) of the corresponding hand when he estimates that the light of the sixth LED will turn on, just the one under the control element.

The examiner then checks whether said light has indeed been turned on and if there has been anticipation or delay in the examination of the examinee regarding the moment when the light has actually been turned on. To calculate this difference, if it exists, information from some databases in which the corresponding times are tabulated have been entered into the microchip.

This difference, measured in units of time, is what will be shown on the LCD screen and will be positive when there is procrastination and negative when there is anticipation.

Measurements are made at the desired ignition speed, with different colors and with the possibility of evaluating the anticipation of the stimulus in thousandths of a second.

In a more particular embodiment, it would be possible to retransport the set of bars, tripods and pushbuttons outside to perform measurements in the environment of the work area or its competition zone.

In another more particular embodiment, a computer application is added to the bar, in the electronic circuit (3), which adds the possibility of an automatic oscillation, in any direction, to trace nonlinear movements of all kinds, simulating a more real trajectory. It would also be interesting to allow the program to randomly vary the speed of movement of the LED lights, to more accurately calibrate any similar action that occurred in the development of the game or sport.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The explanatory and non-limiting drawings that accompany the present invention are described below:

Figure 1: Plan, elevation and profile of a bar for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation with: seven white LEDs (1), seven RGB LEDs - red, blue and green- (2), a display of liquid crystal (3), a control element (4) on

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) the sixth LED, an electronic system (5), based on a PIC microchip (6) to control the lights, a hole (7) to attach the bar to a tripod, two switches (8.9) for changing colors of the rows of LEDs, between RGB to white or vice versa, and the connections between the elements.

Figure 2: Representation of the system with the two peripheral bars with the person evaluated holding two pushbuttons (10), one in each hand, and two others for the optometrist examiner (11).

Figure 3: Representation of the electronic circuit (5).

Figure 4: Representation of the PIC 16F876A microchip (6).

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is further illustrated by the following example, which is not intended to limit its scope.

The two hollow bars have been made with plastic material of dimensions: 60 mm high, 110 mm wide and 1000 mm long. The thickness of the sheets is millimeter.

The support was holed with 5 mm holes, separated 11 cm from each other, to insert the fourteen LEDs: seven white (1) at the top and seven RGB (Red, Green, Blue) three-color (2), red, Blue and green, on top. The diameter of the lights is 5 mm. A hole was also made for the liquid crystal display (3) that is 25 mm high and 72 mm wide.

An electronic circuit (3) of rectangular surface, of a size of 200 mm x 100 mm, which includes a PIC 16F873A microchip (6) with 28 pins has been incorporated inside.

At the base of the hollow bar a hole (7) of 10 mm diameter has been drilled to insert the tripod and to be able to make the coupling between them.

In the upper part of the hollow bar on the sixth LED the control element of plastic material in black color has been installed dimensions are 160 x 115 x 30 mm.

The switches (8,9) used to exchange the lighting of the white or the three-color lights, varying between red, blue and green were two 4C, 3-position rotary switches for printed circuit. They were used from the 16 series (LORLIN CK) and their angle of rotation is 30 °. They vary from 150 mA to 250 VAC and give more than twelve positions.

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) The two pushbuttons connected to the bar (10.11) are panel type, 30x18 mm and round button.

The Sps-025-05 model has been used as the power supply for the system, with AC 100-240V AC input and DC 5V / 5A DC output. A lever-type two circuit breaker that has two independent circuits to cut the power from two separate 3 Amp / 250 VAC sources was added to each bar.

The following measures were used to record the times used:

height of the lower row of lights: 152 cm;

- distance between 7 ^a light (closest to the one evaluated) and the axis of symmetry of the bars: 162 cm;

distance from the center point, where to fix the gaze, to the bar, measured on the axis of symmetry of the bars: 77 cm;

distance of the evaluated to the bar: the first record was taken at 35 cm, the second at 50 cm and the third at 70 cm.

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26)

Claims

1. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation characterized

because it comprises, at least, two equal, symmetrical and equidistant devices between themselves and the person to be evaluated;

and because the devices are shaped like a bar, they are hollow, of rectangular section, they are made of any rigid material;

and because each bar presents:

on the front side, two rows of seven lights each: one of white LED (1) at the top and another of three-color RGB LEDs (2), red, blue and green, at the bottom and a screen of liquid crystal (3);

a control element (4) just above the sixth LED light, beginning to count from the furthest part of the one examined;

on the back of the bar, two switches (8.9), one to exchange the lighting of the white or three-color lights and another to vary the color to be shown in the three-color LED lights between red, blue and green.

inside the bar, an electronic circuit (3) to perform the programmed functions, based on a PIC microchip (6) to control the lights, and the connections between it and the switches (8,9), the lights (1 , 2), the buttons (10.11) and the liquid crystal display (3) and a power supply for the system.

two external pushbuttons (10,11), connected to the bar by means of two cables.

2. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation characterized in that, for the measurement of peripheral vision, it comprises at least the following phases:

situation of the person to evaluate sitting between the two symmetrical and equidistant bars, at a certain distance from them;

fixation of the gaze at a central point located at a certain distance without changing the position of the head or moving the eyes;

activation of the sequence of lights chosen by the examiner, the rows of lights being turned on successively, activating the switches (8, 9);

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26) turn on the lights of a row, at the desired speed, in an orderly manner: first the LED farthest from the person, then the next closest, then the next and so on until the one closest to the examinee is turned on at the end;

indication by the examinee of the precise moment in which the light stimulus is perceived by actuating the button (10) corresponding to the side on which the stimulus has been received, interrupting the operation of the bar;

indication by the examinee of the color of the received light;

Registration on the liquid crystal display (3) of the time elapsed since the first LED of the selected row was switched on manually until the person pressed the button.

3. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation characterized in that, for the measurement of peripheral visual anticipation, it comprises at least the following phases:

fixation of the gaze at any central point without changing the position of the head or moving the eyes;

- Turn on the lights of a row, at the desired speed, in an orderly manner: first the LED furthest from the person, then the next nearest, then the next and so on until the one closest to the examinee is turned on at the end;

indication by the examinee of the moment in which it is estimated that the light of the sixth LED will come on, just the one below the control element (4), by actuating the button (10) corresponding to the side on which it has been turn on the row, interrupting the operation of the bar;

record in the liquid crystal display (3) of a measurement, in units of time.

4. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claim 1 characterized in that the control element (4) is solid, dark in color, to accentuate the contrast with the light color of the bar, and of also rectangular shape and is placed perpendicular to the bar.

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26)

5. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claim 1, characterized in that each bar is placed on a height-adjustable tripod and because to engage them a hole (7) is drilled in the center of its lower plate that holds them to them.

6. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claims 1 and 5 characterized in that the tripods are adjusted in height to level the bars with the eyes of the evaluated person.

7. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claims 1 and 5 characterized in that the tripods allow the measurement of the limits of the peripheral visual field in various directions and angles and for this a pendular level is available , which measures the angle of inclination, placed in the center of the bar.

8. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that it is transportable to carry out the measurements in surroundings of the work area or its competition zone of the person to be evaluated.

9. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the manual activation of the sequence of ignition performed by the examiner is replaced by a computer application, included in the electronic circuit (3 ), and that performs an automatic oscillation, in any direction, to trace nonlinear movements of all kinds, simulating a more real trajectory.

10. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claims 1 and 3 because the time measurement provided is calculated as the difference between the time it took for the examinee to press the button (10) and the data entered into a database with tabulated times.

11. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claims 1, 3 and 10 characterized in that the difference will be positive when there is procrastination and negative when there is anticipation.

12. System for the kinetic measurement of peripheral vision and peripheral visual anticipation according to claims 1, 2 and 3 characterized in that the perception of the stimulus can be evaluated in thousandths of a second.

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REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26)