AMANDA DYAR: EyeSpy 20/20 is a helpful tool in assisting in finding vision problems in children from the VisionQuest 20/20 company. We all know good vision is important in any aspect of life whether at work or play, but what originally caused you to become involved with this project?
Before meeting Dr. O’Neil, I had no idea that vision disorders were so common and that some problems, if not found before age 9, could result in irreversible visual loss. I also didn’t realize that most children aren’t screened for vision problems and those that are, are often screened by a method developed over 150 years ago. This antiquated approach is inadequate because children can memorize the wall chart or peek and the interpretation of the results can vary based on the level of proctor training, ultimately resulting in children being “missed”.
My 20 years experience developing solutions for the high-tech world combined with Dr. O’Neil’s medical expertise presented the perfect opportunity to revolutionize how vision problems are found in children because, to your point, good vision is critically important to virtually all aspects of life.
AMANDA: The EyeSpy 20/20 software allows children with access to computers to receive an accurate eye exam. How does the software work and how easy is it to use?
Conducting an EyeSpy 20/20 screening is as simple as typing in information about the child including their name and age, and pressing ‘Start’. Sitting 10 feet from the laptop, the child ‘plays’ EyeSpy 20/20 with the computer mouse (connected with a USB extension cable). The proctor is provided on-screen messages as needed to administer the screening – which is automatically customized in real-time based on the child’s age and responses during the screening process.
EyeSpy 20/20 immediately engages the child by allowing them to select their own character with which they are going to proceed on their adventure. By presenting several simple matching tasks, the system ensures that the child understands the concept of the game and then proceeds to assess their visual acuity, depth perception, and color vision. Throughout the game, cartoon-like animations (developed by Carnegie Mellon University) are used to keep the child focused. Most importantly, EyeSpy 20/20 is determining the child’s ability to see and in so doing, evaluating the entire vision system of the child.
After the 2 to 3 minute game is finished, a bi-lingual vision report is immediately generated and the results stored in a HIPAA-compliant data repository for the school.
It is important to note that EyeSpy 20/20 is NOT a replacement for an eye examination from an eye care professional and does not diagnose or prescribe treatment. EyeSpy 20/20 is a vision screening system that accurately and reliably identifies those children that need to be seen by an eye care professional.
AMANDA: EyeSpy 20/20 is an eye exam first, but it is available to children in the form of a video game. How was the team able to create a fun experience from something that has been a boring task in eye exams for so many years, and what has the early reception from actual students been like so far?
Dr. O’Neil understood that children love games and envisioned a better way to screen for vision problems and I was confident that the convergence of computing power and Internet connectivity in schools would allow our future technology to help millions of children. Our dedicated Board and staff worked closely with dozens of experts in health and education to ensure that EyeSpy 20/20 met their needs and expectations.
We had the privilege of working with the late Randy Pausch and his team at the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University to develop the artwork and animation in EyeSpy 20/20 to create a fun experience for children. We are honored that his legacy lives on, in part, in EyeSpy 20/20.
Nearly 250,000 children have had their vision screened with EyeSpy 20/20 and they really enjoy it and in fact, many ask to play the game again. School health personnel love it because it saves them time, is easy to implement with virtually no training of proctors, and provides them screening results they can trust. AMANDA: EyeSpy 20/20 is a great cause that we hope to see implemented into schools around the nation. What can people do to help support the cause and get the program into their local schools?
RICHARD: Thank you so much for your kind words. To bring EyeSpy 20/20 to your local schools, begin by visiting www.VisionQuest2020.org. On our site you will find more information about EyeSpy 20/20 that you can share with your school, fellow parents, and others to raise awareness about the importance of children’s vision.
As a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, we graciously accept tax-deductible donations to provide the vision screening system to schools that otherwise cannot afford the program. These donations can be made securely via our website or mailed to our office:
564 W. 9th Pl., Suite 3
Mesa, Arizona 85201
Helping children requires that we keep this conversation going. We want to connect with you and your audience. Please call us, email us, and find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest… all of which have links on our website.
To learn more, visit the official EyeSpy 20/20 website.