Comprehensive Vision Exam for Aircrew Clinical Vision Screening

Despite recent tremendous leaps in the development of new technologies for image recording, presentation, manipulation, 3D capabilities, and analysis many vision exams are still performed using paper Snellen charts, paper color charts and Amsler grids. Current procedures are time consuming, labor intensive, potentially subject to transcription errors, and to test preparation or coaching, which may compromise the integrity of the test. Therefore DHP seeks the development of threshold-based tests supporting vision screening relevant to most current Army, Air Force, and Navy aircrew standards. This includes, at minimum, acuity, color, ocular motility (hyper/hypo/eso/exo phoria/tropia), and stereo. To address this DHP need, Hedgefog Research Inc. (HFR) proposes to develop a new Comprehensive Vision Exam (COVEX) system with adaptive threshold based testing. We envision that the development of this technology will result in a whole family of products that may be used in various vision testing scenarios and applications. In Phase I we will conduct the feasibility testing of several promising geometries and configurations, and will work closely with the OBVA personnel to down-select one of the tested concepts to mature it into a pre-production prototype in Phase II.