Functional visual screening in children recovering from tumors of the central nervous system (CNS tumors)

Update Nov. 2024



In this project different eye tracking based methods for examining the visual field and oculomotor behavior will be evaluated in healthy children and children with visual field defects and/or tumors of the central nervous system. One of these methods is the SONDA software, previously developed by the former ESR in “NextGenVis” Alessandro Grillini and the Cornelissen lab. The other is the BulbiCAM developed by Bulbitech. The study is conducted in Copenhagen, at the Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet – Glostrup in collaboration with the Department of Pediatrics, Rigshospitalet, with supervision by competent physicians and researchers from both departments.

Supervisors

• Miriam Kolko, MD, Ph.D., Professor and Consultant, Department of Ophthalmology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet-Glostrup and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen.
• Sarah Linea von Holstein, MD, Ph.D., Speciality Registrar and Post.doc, Department of Ophthalmology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet-Glostrup.
• René Mathiasen, MD, Ph.D., Consultant, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet.
• Barbara Nordhjem, Ph.D., Postdoc, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet.
• Alessandro Grillini, Ph.D., founder and director of Reperio B.V.

Personal Background and Interest:

I studied medicine in Örebro, Sweden between 2015 and 2021. My master thesis was conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen and aimed to investigate risk factors for postoperative CNS infection in children with CNS tumors. I moved to Denmark in October 2021 to be part of this exciting experience and conduct my PhD. During my PhD an interest for neurology, higher order vision and clinical vision science has been sparked. I plan on continuing my clinical and academic career bridging the gap between fundamental and clinical vision science.

Aims of the project:

The objectives of my project are to 1) Investigate the frequency of preoperative VFDs in pediatric brain tumor patients, 2) test SONDA as an alternative method to  examine the visual field in children, 3) test BulbiCAM as an alternative method to  examine the visual field in children. 4) investigate the oculomotor behavior in children with CNS tumors.

Current activities:

I conducted a retrospective cohort study including 485 children diagnosed with CNS tumors to establish the prevalence of visual field defects in this population. Meanwhile, 20 children (age 4-17) with CNS tumors and 20 age matched healthy controls were tested with the two novel methods (SONDA and BulbiCAM) described above. Results are yet to be analyzed, but due to issues encountered during testing and feedback from parents and children adaptation of the methods are needed. 

I am currently working on the analysis of data collected using the two novel methods while also writing a review/method paper on the issues encountered when attempting to do eye movement based periphery in the pediatric population. 

Future directions:

I would like to continue on my journey to bring eye tracking and eye movement based periphery into the clinical setting - especially focusing on the population that need it most - children.

My OptiVisT experience:

I could not be more grateful to everyone that made OptiVisT happen. Being part of a big group of PhD students and senior researchers with different backgrounds has accelerated my learning and strengthened my professional identity. But most importantly, I’ve made friends for life.