PRG Developing an AI-Powered Technique to Objectively Measure Eye Movement
Kevin Willeford, OD, MS, PhD, Assistant Professor in the College of Optometry, discusses his President’s Research Grant (PRG) titled “Limbus Segment Tracking: A Technique to Measure the Full Range of Ocular Rotations”.
Tell me briefly about your recent grant-funded project(s).
There is currently no method to quantify the eye’s range of motion. Instead, optometrists and ophthalmologists “watch” how the eyes move and make a subjective determination regarding the eye’s movement patterns. I received NSU’s President’s Research Grant to support the development of a new technique, utilizing image processing and neural networks, to address this methodological gap. The technique uses the shape of the limbus, the border between the white and colored parts of your eye, to estimate how far the eye has moved. Obtaining objective measurements of the eye’s range of motion is important because changes in eye movement patterns can reflect the onset of pathology or therapeutic improvement.
Who is working with you on this project?
I am working with approximately 15 second-year optometry students to refine the technique.
What opportunities and/or benefits does this grant bring to the NSU community?
I enjoy showing optometry students that they are allowed to question anything, including the examination techniques that they learn. This project has given them a chance to see the interaction between basic research projects and clinical applications. I hope to bring my technique into the clinic so that optometrists can track eye movement patterns more accurately over time. With support from NSU, I have been able to submit a patent application for this technology, showing that, as I teach my students, having curiosity about our profession is always important.
How does this project connect with your other work at NSU?
I teach vision science and optics courses both of which have strengthened my foundation in philosophy and mathematics, two areas that I have utilized in developing this project.
How has NSU helped you pursue and/or achieve personal and professional goals you have set for yourself? I received two HPD Educational Research Grants, support from the Office of Technology Transfer, and the PRG. NSU has supported my lab from the ground up.
What advice do you have for other grant seekers at NSU?
Be kind to yourself and remember that it is an opportunity to be able to think for a living.
What is the next grant proposal or project on your agenda?
I’d like to use my range of motion measurements to explore pathological and therapeutic changes in eye movement patterns. First, vascular conditions like diabetes and hypertension can cause abrupt changes in eye movements. These changes can mimic those caused by compressive conditions like aneurysms and tumors. Range of motion measurements, in lieu of expensive neuroimaging, could help differentiate between these two pathological etiologies. Second, as someone with an eye movement deficit, I have always been curious to see if I can improve my range of motion and am designing an experiment to begin treating myself!