Expansion of Peripheral Visual Field with Novel Virtual Reality Digital Spectacles

Abstract

To examine an image remapping method for peripheral visual field (VF) expansion with novel virtual reality digital spectacles (DSpecs) to improve visual awareness in glaucoma patients. Prospective case series. Monocular peripheral VF defects were measured and defined with a head-mounted display diagnostic algorithm. The monocular VF was used to calculate remapping parameters with a customized algorithm to relocate and resize unseen peripheral targets within the remaining VF. The sequence of monocular VF was tested and customized image remapping was carried out in 23 patients with typical glaucomatous defects. Test images demonstrating roads and cars were used to determine increased awareness of peripheral hazards while wearing the DSpecs. Patients' scores in identifying and counting peripheral objects with the remapped images were the main outcome measurements. The diagnostic monocular VF testing algorithm was comparable to standard automated perimetric determination of threshold sensitivity based on point-by-point assessment. Eighteen of 23 patients (78%) could identify safety hazards with the DSpecs that they could not previously. The ability to identify peripheral objects improved with the use of the DSpecs (P= 0.024, chi-square test). Quantification of the number of peripheral objects improved with the DSpecs (P= 0.0026, Wilcoxon rank sum test). These novel spectacles may enhance peripheral objects awareness by enlarging the functional field of view in glaucoma patients.