Eye-tracking Test Shown Effective in Diagnosing Concussion in Student Athletes

A simple eye tracking test which can easily be administered on the sidelines of youth sports events can determine immediate symptoms of concussion in children as young as five-years old. A study by the NYU Langone Concussion Center published in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology repurposes a King-Devick eyesight test devised in 1976, with a new focus on its ability to gauge neurological function. Testing the process on youth athletes, it was determined that the method showed a 92-percent accuracy rate in diagnosing concussion. “Our findings in children and collegiate athletes show how a simple vision test can aid in diagnosis of concussion at all levels of sport,” said the lead researcher. “Adding the King-Devick test to the sideline assessment of student athletes following a head injury can eliminate the guesswork for coaches and parents when deciding whether or not a student should return to play.” Future refinements will study the rapid eye movements analyzed in this testing to determine more precise diagnosis. To learn more about this study, click here.