RightEye is a new, exciting computerized eye tracking platform which measures how efficiently (or not) one controls their eye movements. Using the same technology that allowed the famous physicist, Stephen Hawking, to communicate using his eyes when he could no longer speak, infra-red sensors detect where each eye is looking. It then creates a precise record of fixation stability (steadiness and accuracy when trying to keep the eyes on a non-moving target), smooth pursuits (when following a slowly moving target) and saccades (when the eyes jump from one object to another). Data from thousands of people of different ages allows performance to be compared between one individual and the larger reference group.
RightEye offers an extensive menu of tasks which assess general oculo-motor performance as well as performance specific to reading efficiency, sports related visual skills, and brain health issues secondary to TBI/ABIs (traumatic and acquired brain injuries) and neurodegenerative conditions.
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Who can benefit from RightEye?
Every day you blink about 15,000 times. The rest of the time, unless you’re sleeping (or, maybe
meditating), your eyes are gathering information thru 3 types of eye movements: fixations –
steady gaze on a stationary target; pursuits – tracking a moving target; and saccades – rapidly
shifting your eyes from one position to another.
These movements are critical whether reading, driving, checking your phone, or doing anything
else thru the day. If your eyes are not working efficiently, you can’t respond efficiently to your
environment.
Some people have difficulty with one type in particular, and others with all three. Different brain
areas and pathways control each movement, so things can get complex, especially when fatigue,
overload, competing environmental demands, etc…also come into play. Lots of things affect
attention and performance, but eye movement control and coordination are key when it comes to
gathering information. As they say – GIGO – garbage in, garbage out.
Let’s look at a task easily taken for granted visually - preparing breakfast. Beginning with the
walk downstairs, careful attention and fixation must be directed to the steps and then shifted
(saccade) to the level floor to be sure all are free of obstacles and that foot placement is correct.
In the kitchen, eyes jump and fixate on the light switch, then the refrigerator door. Once open,
the eyes scan to find the eggs and then the milk from among the half and half, apple juice,
almond milk and half-empty wine bottle. Working efficiently, the eyes point and the hands
reach in unison and the milk carton is extracted without incident. Removing two eggs from the
container and placing them on the counter, a scuffling sound reflexively draws your attention and
you saccade across the room to see little kitty playing with a “friend”. Back on the counter, you
notice an egg has begun to roll, headed for the edge, so you gently pick it up and place it in a
small bowl. Glancing back to kitty, your eyes track her and confirm she is proceeding to her exit
door with friend in tow.
Due to the automaticity and typical efficiency of eye movements, all this occurred without
thought or maladventure. If eye movement control were dysfunctional, however, there might be
juice on the floor, a cracked egg where it shouldn’t be, and a chipmunk in the pantry. Many
activities require even more precise oculo-motor control, with minor disruptions interfering with
successful performance.
The child habitually bumping into a wall; extra effort needed to scan for cars, bikes and
pedestrians at an intersection; confusion when sorting through a long list of emails. Does eye
movement control, or lack of control, play a role? And how can we know? Now, we can
objectively measure eye movements, and compare them with those of other individuals, and
versus yourself at different points in time. Now, we can tell when inefficient eye movements are
impacting behavior. It’s called RightEye.
Which EyeQ is right for you?
Functional Vision EyeQ
The Functional Vision Eye Q report provides a graphical printout showing exactly how one’s
eyes move during circular and linear (horizontal and vertical) smooth pursuits, fixations and
saccades. It is a fascinating and valuable addition to a standard ocular health and binocular
evaluation, perfect for the general population. It picks up and puts numbers to difficulties that
cannot be as well described any other way. And, it’s fun too!! Each skill is given a numerical
value describing performance and listed with a percentile score relative to the set population.
These are displayed and color-coded regarding efficiency to provide a quick and intuitive
performance snapshot – green = normal; yellow = borderline; and red = dysfunction. If
deficiency is noted, intervention is recommended to address the issue and specific activities are
provided in an email link.
Brain Health EyeQ
The Brain Health Eye Q assessment provides a similar report but highlights particular brain
areas which may be implicated in compromised performance as well as associated symptoms.
BHEQ is helpful for baseline testing of higher risk individuals, for example those with early
sings of dementia or Parkinson’s, or those participating in activities carrying a higher likelihood
of concussion.
Neurological insults, whether related to traumatic or acquired brain injury (TBI/ABI) or
neurodegenerative disease, often result in impaired oculomotor control. Years after a car
accident, for example, even when subjective symptoms have resolved, characteristic eye
movement deficits are frequently demonstrated during Right Eye testing.
These behaviors are not destiny, however. Visual rehabilitation can improve eye movement
efficiency and visual comfort with improvements reflected in greater accuracy on RE re-testing.
RightEye can email a report following evaluation and provide a 10 min/day program of on-line
activities to address deficits.
Reading EyeQ
Reading efficiency evaluations and a Reading Eye Q report is another valuable assessment
offerd by RightEye. Reading and eye movements are intricately linked. Although not sufficient
for skilled reading, efficient eye movements are certainly necessary. If the eyes jump erratically,
essential information cannot be gathered, and if not gathered, cannot be processed. Or, if
excessive effort is required to gather the information, that’s effort not available to process it.
A variety of metrics are used to analyze reading efficiency. Unlike following a moving target,
when reading the eyes jump from one location to the next, kind of gulping a word or more at a
time rather than sipping each. The primary values considered are fixations – where the eyes stop
momentarily; reading speed – words/minute; regressions – normal, small backward saccades to
re-read a selection; and return sweeps – moving between one line and the next. RE utilizes passages representing 1 st through 10 th grade reading levels and assigns a grade equivalent based
on analyses of these parameters.
The Reading Eye Q report allows visual playback of eye movements showing where and when
fixations, saccades and regressions occur, analyzing performance compared to grade norms for
that selection. The report can be used to identify or confirm reading difficulties and determine
which visual and eye movement characteristics are cause for concern. Visual rehabilitation
activities can then be developed to remediate these skills.
Sports Vision EyeQ
RightEye’s Sports Vision EyeQ is a non-invasive, objective test that quickly and easily measures and analyzes eye movement, brain processing and reaction time, and compares vision to peers, amateurs and pro athletes. The results are delivered in a graphical, easy-to-read Sports Vision EyeQ report.