November 4, 2013
When it comes to diagnosing when a case of dizziness is just vertigo or a life-threatening stroke, a pair of special glasses might be the solution. According to researchers, approximately 100,000 strokes are misdiagnosed each year in the United States, resulting in 20,000 to 30,000 deaths or severe physical and speech impairments.
Speed is the key to treating a stroke and saving a person’s life. This new goggle-like device—known as a video-oculography machine—is a modification of a “head impulse test,” which is used regularly for people with chronic dizziness and other inner ear-balance disorders. Wearing a pair of goggles hooked up to a webcam and special software, the patient is asked to focus on one spot on the wall while the doctor moves the patient’s head from side to side. The goggles can then determine, via eye movement, whether the patient is suffering from vertigo or has likely had a stroke.
Tests are still being done on this device to demonstrate 100 percent accuracy. To learn more about the video-oculography machine, read this article. When a loved one is at risk for a stroke, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms to watch for. In-home caregivers, like those at Continuum, are trained to recognize the signs of a stroke and will take action quickly.
This article from CBS also demonstrates how the goggles are being used to diagnose strokes.