Abstract:
An ocular dominance testing apparatus and method for determining a person&#39;s dominant eye wherein the method comprises the steps of fixing a target at a predetermined distance from the person, placing an ocular dominance testing apparatus between the person and the target wherein the apparatus comprises a viewing piece having a central opening therethrough, focusing both eyes on the target through the opening, closing and reopening the right eye to determine whether the target appears to move or change color, focusing both eyes on the target through the opening, and closing and reopening the left eye to determine whether the target appears to move or change color. The dominant eye is identified as the eye that appears to move the target or change the color around the target when closed and reopened.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to devices and methods for determining a person&#39;s dominant eye. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     People typically have one eye that is dominant. The dominant eye is the preferred eye that controls the visual system. Proper alignment of the eyes has a significant effect on the ability of a person to tolerate and to adapt to new glasses, contact lenses, monovision, lens implants, laser vision correction and other eye surgery. Eye dominance detection is extremely important in successful monovision, contact lenses, eyeglasses and eye surgery. Detecting the correct dominant eye can make a difference in obtaining a successful outcome and having a satisfied patient. It can also help explain why a patient is having difficulty with their vision. 
     Eye surgeons often desire to perform surgery on the non-dominant eye first to allow for a smoother neuroadaptation. With monovision situations, the non-dominant eye is usually preferred as the near vision eye. Surgical situations being more permanent, it can be of paramount importance to know the correct dominant eye in the preoperative stage. This can increase acceptance of the visual experience and even increase safety by improving visual performance and reoperations. Maximizing the ability of the dominant eye and optimizing binocular performance with the non-dominant eye may affect a person&#39;s ability to use tools, a person&#39;s coordination, aiming at a target, playing a musical instrument, driving a car, and other activities requiring synchronization of eye and hand movements involving daily life. Because of the increasingly availability of complex eyewear, surgery and implanted devices, it is desirable to have simple, rapid methods to determine the dominant eye of an individual. The knowledge of eye dominance is important and has widespread implications and significance. 
     What is needed is a simple handheld device and method for determining a person&#39;s dominant eye. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An ocular dominance testing apparatus and method for determining a person&#39;s dominant eye, wherein the method comprises the steps of fixing a target at a predetermined distance from the person, placing an ocular dominance testing apparatus between the person and the target wherein the apparatus comprises an opaque viewing piece having a central opening therethrough, focusing both eyes on the target through the central opening, closing and reopening the right eye to determine whether the target appears to move or change color, refocusing both eyes on the target through the opening, and closing and reopening the left eye to determine whether the target appears to move or change color. The dominant eye is identified as the eye that appears to move the target or change the color around the target when closed and reopened. The apparatus is placed in front of the person preferably from 12 to 30 inches from the eyes of the person. The target is preferably on the 20/400 line of a Snellen vision chart. 
     These and other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of an ocular dominance testing device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of the ocular dominance testing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of the ocular dominance testing device taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the ocular dominance testing device illustrating use by a patient. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded rear perspective view of an alternate embodiment ocular dominance testing device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear elevation view of the ocular dominance testing device of  FIG. 5  without the insert. 
         FIG. 7  is a rear elevation view of the ocular dominance testing device of  FIG. 5  with the insert. 
     
    
    
     When the terms “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “front,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “inside,” “outside,” and similar terms are used, the terms should be understood in reference to the orientation of the implementations shown in the drawings and are utilized to facilitate description thereof. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , wherein the invention comprises an ocular dominance testing apparatus  10  and method of using the apparatus  10  to determine eye dominance. The apparatus  10  preferably comprises an opaque viewing piece  11  having an attached cylindrical handle  20 . The viewing piece  11  is preferably a flat plate having a square shape with rounded corners. The thickness of the plate is preferably about 1 inch. The height and width of the plate are preferably at least 4 inches to block an adequate field of vision, but no greater than 24 inches so that it is still conveniently portable. The preferred height and width of the plate are about 5 inches. The viewing piece  11  has a central opening  15  therethrough, preferably from 0.5 inch to 4 inches in diameter, most preferably 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. The opening  15  may be conical, being wider at the rear face  12  of the viewing piece  11  relative to the front face  13  of the viewing piece  11 . For example, the opening  15  may be 2 inches in diameter at the rear face  12  and 1.5 inches in diameter at the front face  13 . The handle  20  preferably has a lower section  21  for gripping and an angled upper section  22  that is coupled to the viewing piece  11 . The angle A between the lower section  21  and the upper section  22  is preferably 45 degrees for ergonomic comfort. 
     In use, both eyes are preferably tested to determine eye dominance. The apparatus  10  is held by the patient by the handle  20  with the patient&#39;s arm extended such that the apparatus is from 12 to 30 inches from the eyes. The apparatus  10  is oriented such that the front face  13  of the viewing piece  11  faces a suitable target  25 , such as an item (e.g. letter) on a vision chart (e.g. Snellen chart). The target  25  is distant and at least one millimeter in diameter. The 20/400 line on an eye chart is preferable and readily available in eye clinics. The chart is adjusted for 20 feet distance directly in front of the patient. The patient views the target  25  on the eye chart with both eyes open and looking through the opening  15 . To test the right eye, the right eye is closed and reopened. If the target  25  appears to move then the right eye is presumed dominant. With both eyes open again, the left eye is then closed and reopened. If the target  25  does not appear to move, this confirms the right eye is dominant. To test the left eye, the patient views the target  25  on the eye chart with both eyes open and looking through the opening  15 . The right eye is then closed and reopened. If the target  25  does not appear to move then the left eye is presumed dominant. With both eyes open again, the left eye is closed and reopened. If the target  25  appears to move, this confirms the left eye is dominant. 
     Alternate embodiments of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , wherein the ocular dominance testing apparatus  30  preferably comprises a viewing piece  31  having a rectangular shape. The height of the viewing piece  31  is preferably about 4 inches and the width of the viewing piece  31  is preferably about 9 inches. The viewing piece  31  has a central opening  35  therethrough, wherein the opening  35  is preferably rectangular in shape with a preferred height of about 1.5 inches and a preferred width of about 6.25 inches. The rear face  32  of the viewing piece  31  preferably has a recessed shoulder  34  forming a perimeter around the central opening  35 . A central target marker  36  preferably extends into the bottom of the central opening  35  to assist the user with proper alignment of the apparatus  30  with the target  25 . A transparent colored left pane  37  is preferably affixed across the left side of the central opening  35  and a transparent colored right pane  38  is preferably affixed across the right side of the central opening  35 . The height and width of the panes  37 ,  38  are preferably 1.5 inches. An optional insert  40  can be removably inserted into the central opening  35  wherein the insert  40  abuts the recessed shoulder  34 . The insert  40  includes a central hole  41 , preferably having a diameter of 0.6875 inch, which aligns with the target marker  36 , best shown in  FIG. 7 . The insert  40  further includes a left hole  42 , preferably having a diameter of 0.875 inch, which aligns with the left pane  37 , and a right hole  43 , preferably having a diameter of 0.875 inch, which aligns with the right pane  38 . The left hole  42  and right hole  43  are preferably spaced from the central hole  41  about 1.625 inches. The holes  41 ,  42 ,  43  are preferably circular in shape, but other shapes (e.g. elliptical, square) can be used. The left pane  37  and the right pane  38  are preferably different colors, for example, the left pane  37  can be red and the right pane  38  can be green. Alternatively, the insert  40  can be permanently affixed within the central opening  35  so that the viewing piece  31  has a central hole  41 , a left hole  42 , and a right hole  43 , wherein the left hole  42  has a colored pane  37  and the right hole  43  has a colored pane  38 . 
     In use, both eyes are preferably tested to determine eye dominance. The apparatus  30  is held by the patient by the handle  20  with the patient&#39;s arm extended such that the apparatus is from 12 to 30 inches from the eyes. The apparatus  30  is oriented such that the front face  33  of the viewing piece  31  faces a suitable target  25 , described above. The patient views the target  25  on the eye chart with both eyes open and looking through the central opening  35  above marker  36  (and through central hole  41  if present). To test the right eye, the right eye is closed and reopened. If the target  25  appears to move and the target area changes color (e.g. turns red) then the right eye is presumed dominant. This occurs because the non-dominant left eye is aligned with the target  25  through the left pane  37  (and through the left hole  42  if present). With both eyes open again, the left eye is then closed and reopened. If the target  25  does not appear to move and the target area does not change color, this confirms the right eye is dominant. To test the left eye, the patient views the target  25  on the eye chart with both eyes open and looking through the central opening  35  above marker  36  (and through central hole  41  if present). The right eye is then closed and reopened. If the target  25  does not appear to move and the target area does not change color, the left eye is presumed dominant. With both eyes open again, the left eye is closed and reopened. If the target  25  appears to move and the target area changes color (e.g. turns green), this confirms the left eye is dominant. This occurs because the non-dominant right eye is aligned with the target  25  through the right pane  38  (and through the right hole  43  if present). 
     An advantage of the ocular dominance testing apparatus is that it is portable and small enough to be available in every exam room or easily moved between rooms. The method of the present invention tests ocular dominance by having the patient hold a handheld device extended away from the face toward a distant target, focus both eyes on the target through a central opening in the device, and then close an eye and reopen it to determine whether the target moves or changes color. The colored panes provide a more noticeable change to the target during testing, thus facilitating medical personnel in correctly identifying the dominant eye. Differently colored panes further facilitates medical personnel in correctly identifying the dominant eye. With expanding new vision technology in eyeglasses, contact lenses, laser vision, lens implant surgery and other emerging refractive eye surgeries, it is desirable to have a simple, easy, portable, comfortable and rapid method for determining ocular dominance. 
     While the invention has been shown and described in some detail with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, there is no intention that the invention be limited to such detail. On the contrary, the invention is intended to include any alternative or equivalent embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described above and as recited in the appended claims.