GearVision: Smartphone Based Head Mounted Perimeter For Detection Of Visual Field Defects

Automated visual field perimetry is widely used for the evaluation of visual field defects caused by ophthalmological and neurodegenerative diseases. This test is typically performed using the Humphrey Perimeter or Octopus Perimeter. However, their high cost and large footprint limit their use to the clinical setting. This in turn limits their reach especially in the context of screening in remote environments and personal setting. In this paper, we report the development and testing of GearVision, a portable, accessible and compact virtual reality based visual field perimeter. It enables regular visual field testing in a cost-effective and convenient manner. Currently, GearVision is meant to augment the existing perimetry system and hence facilitate the detection of visual field defects early and without expert supervision or the need for hospital visits. In addition to the development of standard 30-2 suprathreshold and full threshold perimetry tests, we have proposed methods to improve test reliability and compliance. These include optional rest intervals during the test to reduce errors caused by strain or fatigue and improved false positive estimation based on statistical analysis of a patient's response times. We have tested the proposed system on 21 subjects and validated its capability to detect visual field defects.