The objective of this project is to develop a dedicated clinical system for testing and analyzing ocular motility. Commercially, the goal is to produce a -low-cost, user-friendly hardware/software package specifically designed to allow clinical personnel with no computer training to quantitatively analyze (online) the eye movements produced in patients during pursuit tracking, random saccade tests, caloric irrigation, optokinetic and positional nystagmus testing, and (optionally) rotatory tests of vestibular function. A central control/analysis unit will be developed using the latest microprocessor and memory technology, and programmed using proven software algorithms. A solid-state stimulator for smooth-pursuit and optokinetic testing will be developed as well as a solid-state thermal probe for caloric stimulation.Phase I is intended to investigate a new means of monitoring eye movements using phase-sensitive detection of a high-frequency carrier signal impressed across the eye to measure impedance changes produced by eye movements. Lock-in amplifier and phase-locked loop technologies will be used to detect and process the phase-shift information. The success of this project would provide a new atraumatic means for monitoring eye movements, overcoming several major problems inherent in conventional electrooculography recordings.National Eye Institute
