A new eye-tracking device called the EyeBox, developed by Minnesota neurosurgeon Dr. Uzma Samadani, is now FDA-approved to detect concussions based on eye movement. You may one day see this device in hospitals, sports facilities and physical therapy centers everywhere.
The EyeBox is made by Oculogica and was FDA-approved for physician use on Dec. 28, 2018. It aims to establish a medical standard as a consumer device before it is mass produced. The implications of an easy-to-use medical device that can deliver quantifiable results to the complicated field of traumatic brain injury are enormous.
How does the device work?
Concussions are usually diagnosed through comparing a patient’s’ symptoms to a baseline test. They are best recognized by the following symptoms:
- Nausea or dizziness
- Loss of consciousness
- Headaches
- Forgetfulness or loss of memory
- Loss of coordination
- Personality changes, impulse control issues
- Poor eye tracking
If you are concussed, you may have jerky or lazy eye movements. The EyeBox can track a patient’s eye movements and compare them to a healthy person’s. Eye tracking is one of a few symptoms that can be objectively measured and can be reliably reproduced.
Using other methods to diagnose a concussion can result in questionable or inconsistent diagnoses. If you have a concussion and are denied a timely diagnosis, it could seriously jeopardize your brain’s long-term health.
What are other implications for this device?
If you are in an accident, getting treatment in a timely manner is essential. A handy device that can give a doctor reliable evidence for a concussion can speed up your treatment. If another person involved in the accident claims they have a concussion, a device such as the EyeBox can give reliable evidence that can contribute to a support or denial of their claim.
Mild traumatic brain injuries can have lasting consequences for you and can complicate a personal injury case. If you have a concussion, you may need specialized care for years to come.