Real time video-based gaze tracking for detecting subtle deviation angle change in abducens nerve palsy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Abducens nerve palsy can cause visual disturbances.
• Accurate measurement of visual angle is crucial for diagnosis and management.
• Existing methods may have limitations in real-time assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a real-time video-based gaze tracking system for measuring visual angles in patients with abducens nerve palsy.
• To compare visual angle measurements between patients with abducens nerve palsy and healthy individuals.
• To assess the system's utility in detecting changes in visual angle post-treatment.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 39 subjects with abducens nerve palsy and 39 healthy controls.
• Utilized the GENICULA system (Gaze Tracking Artificial Intelligence for Ocular Motor Palsy), a webcam-based eye tracker.
• Employed Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• The mean visual angle was significantly different between the abducens nerve palsy group (20.88±3.76) and the normal group (23.10±2.91) (P=0.011).
• The GENICULA system demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in visual angle post-treatment for abducens nerve palsy patients (P=0.039).
• The system proved easy to use, efficient, and accurate in detecting subtle visual angle changes.

Conclusions:

• The real-time video-based gaze tracking system (GENICULA) is a practical tool for assessing visual angles.
• This technology is valuable for diagnosing slight deviations in abducens nerve palsy.
• The system facilitates objective measurement and monitoring of treatment efficacy.