Eye Micro Movement Diagnose Concussions

Technology startups are finding new ways to detect concussions in both pro and amateur athletes. Their mode of attack is to measure and monitor the eyes and then collect and analyze the data with apps (for tablets and other smart devices) and strategically placed sensors.

Adam Gross, CEO of Bethesda, Maryland-based startup RightEye, notes that when players take a hit, “they will always say they are fine.” While concussions may be unavoidable in contact sports, it is important to get a rapid diagnosis to, if necessary, keep an injured player off the field.

The main idea, of course, is to avoid potentially severe secondary impacts and also help coaches when a player is sufficiently recovered from a brain insult that they can safely return to play.

In response to these concerns Gross’s company developed a one-minute eye-tracking test that can reveal the extent of trauma to the brain. According to the company, eye movement offers insight into brain health and brain trauma, and can even help detect other disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Officials at RightEye says its test—with a specially configured computer that monitors how quickly the eyes follow moving objects—can be useful for monitoring an individual who may be recovering from a concussion.

Another system designed to be used on the sidelines in sports is the King-Devick test, a tablet-based system which can be easily administered after an impact.

Steve Devick, O.D. is an optometrist who helped adapt the test to diagnose concussion. He calls it a “proven” detection system which can be administered in less than two minutes. Devick complains that many professional sports teams still use old methods for concussion diagnosis such as asking questions or requiring a player to follow finger movements.

The Arizona-based startup Saccadous has developed a tablet-based system which, unlike those of RightEye and King-Devick, tracks involuntary “micro” eye movements. Saccadous co-founder and CEO Craig Cafarelli, said of his company, “We measure 100 micro-movements to make a determination about what is going on in the brain.” He said that using this system measuring involuntary “micro-saccades” is better than a cognitive test which can be gamed by athletes who want to return to action.” Our goal would be to have a baseline of every player in a healthy state, so we know if we scan them again, we could compare it against the baseline.”

By seeing daily variations in a person’s stride, heart rate and ability to concentrate, “we are no longer bound by visits to the doctor’s office, ” said Paul Testa, M.D., a New York University professor and emergency room physician who has helped develop an app which works with Apple’s HealthKit platform to measure signals on how a concussion patient is progressing.