Self-Recording of Eye Movements in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients Using a Smartphone Eye-Tracking App

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) impacts ocular motor function, suggesting eye tracking as a valuable monitoring tool.
• Current eye-tracking methods often require specialized equipment and clinical visits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of ALS patients self-recording eye movements using a smartphone application called EyePhone.
• To evaluate patient experience and preference for self-recording versus traditional methods.

Main Methods:

• Ten ALS participants were provided with an iPhone and the EyePhone app for self-recording eye movements (saccades, smooth pursuit).
• Participants received instructions and completed recordings independently.
• A physician later administered standardized tests using video-oculography (VOG) goggles, followed by a patient questionnaire.

Main Results:

• All participants successfully completed self-recordings without assistance.
• Patients reported the EyePhone self-recording process as easy and comfortable.
• 70% of participants preferred self-recording with EyePhone over VOG goggle recordings.

Conclusions:

• ALS patients can effectively utilize smartphone-based eye-tracking technology for self-monitoring.
• The EyePhone app presents a viable, self-administered tool for tracking ALS progression, potentially reducing clinic visit frequency.
• This approach may enable remote monitoring of neurological disease progression.