Research, conference presentations, and technical resources

VVP as a Primary Endpoint for Glaucoma: Reducing the cost of bringing novel glaucoma therapies to market

Use of a centrally-deployable, at-home, virtual reality perimetry test to measure lesion-customized retinal sensitivities in patients with geographic atrophy

Karl Csaky, Neha Tandon, Shawn Mishra, Quang Nguyen, James Blaha, Thad Czuba, Manish Gupta, Benjamin T. Backus, Tavé van Zyl @ ARVO 2025

Accurate baseline and structure-function results from a longitudinal study of a natural-fixation, at-home visual field test in glaucoma

Corinne Shiu, Yoav Gutterman, Michael S. Deiner, Fabio Lavinsky, Gadi Wollstein, Ronald Zambrano, Albert Xu, James Blaha, Thaddeus B. Czuba, Ranran L. French, Manish Gupta, Benjamin T. Backus, Joel S. Schuman, Yvonne Ou
@ ARVO 2026 · Abstract 5572 · Abstract (PDF)

Presentation slides (PDF)

Combined use of heterogeneous microperimetry grids, at-home testing, and structural endpoints dramatically reduces N participants in clinical trials

James J. Blaha, Benjamin T. Backus, Annette Ranran L. French, Thaddeus B. Czuba
@ FLORetina-ICOOR 2026 · Accepted abstract (PDF)

Combining high-precision at-home perimetry, sample enrichment, and location selection can reduce glaucoma neuroprotective trial costs as much as 90%

James J. Blaha, Thaddeus B. Czuba, Ranran L. French, Michael S. Deiner, Fabio Lavinsky, Joel S. Schuman, Yvonne Ou, Benjamin T. Backus
@ Imaging and Perimetry Society 2026 · Bern, Switzerland · Presentation (PDF)

Comparison of Fixation Stability between Standard Automated Perimetry and VR-based Natural Fixation Perimetry

Ranran L. French, Corinne Shiu, Thaddeus B. Czuba, James Blaha, Manish Gupta, Ronald Zambrano, Yoav Gutterman, Heather Giusto, Fabio Lavinsky, Benjamin T. Backus, Joel S. Schuman, Michael S. Deiner, Yvonne Ou
@ ARVO 2026 · Abstract 4985–0008 · Abstract (PDF)

Presented poster (PDF)

Decreased Test–Retest Variability at Lower Sensitivities with Virtual-Reality-Based Natural-Fixation Perimetry Compared to Humphrey Field Analyzer

Albert Xu, Corinne Shiu, Michael S. Deiner, Joel S. Schuman, Fabio Lavinsky, Yoav Gutterman, Ronald Zambrano, Thaddeus B. Czuba, Ranran L. French, James Blaha, Benjamin T. Backus, Yvonne Ou
@ ARVO 2026 · Abstract 1403 · Abstract (PDF)

Glaucoma neuroprotective trials: Combining sample enrichment, individualized location selection, and home-based perimetry dramatically reduces size, duration, and cost

James J. Blaha, Thaddeus B. Czuba, Ranran L. French, Yvonne Ou, Michael S. Deiner, Fabio Lavinsky, Joel S. Schuman, Benjamin T. Backus
@ ARVO 2026 · Poster 5001–0024 · Poster (PDF)

High precision measurement of retinal sensitivity using VR-based natural-fixation perimetry in geographic atrophy

James J. Blaha, Benjamin T. Backus, Annette Ranran L. French, Thaddeus B. Czuba
@ EURETINA Innovation Spotlight 2026 · Vienna · September 30, 2026 · Poster (PDF)

High-Precision Measurement of Retinal Sensitivity by Means of 10-Session At-Home Virtual Reality Testing in Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Anna Heinke, Karl Csaky, Neha Tandon, Shawn Mishra, Quang Nguyen, Roland Barge, Matthew F. Wipperman, James Blaha, Manish Gupta, Benjamin T. Backus, Thaddeus B. Czuba, Tavé van Zyl
@ ARVO 2026 · Poster 1781–0543 · Poster (PDF)

Neuroergonomics of an At-Home VR-based Psychophysical Procedure Compared to Clinical Visual Field Perimetry

Ronald Zambrano
@ 6th International Neuroergonomics Conference, 2026 · Presentation (PowerPoint)

Novel metrics for VR-based natural-fixation perimetry

Thaddeus B. Czuba, Annette Ranran L. French, Benjamin T. Backus, James J. Blaha
@ ARVO 2026 · Poster 4984–0007 · Poster (PDF)

Preference, Usability, and Symptom Burden in Vivid Vision Perimetry vs Standard Achromatic Perimetry

Batsheva Rubin, Michael S. Deiner, Fabio Lavinsky, Ronald Zambrano, Yoav Gutterman, Heather Giusto, Corinne Shiu, James Blaha, Thaddeus B. Czuba, Ranran L. French, Manish Gupta, Yvonne Ou, Benjamin T. Backus, Gadi Wollstein, Joel S. Schuman
@ ARVO 2026 · Poster 2296–0728 · Poster (PDF)

Recovery of depth perception in adults with abnormal binocular vision

Ding J, Ma MY, Lu HH, Backus BT, Levi DM (2026). Vision Research. 242:108783.

Validation of usability and adherence for at-home natural fixation virtual-reality perimetry (NF-VRP) with lesion-customized test grids

Thaddeus B. Czuba, Manish Gupta, Ranran L. French, Benjamin T. Backus, James J. Blaha
@ FLORetina-ICOOR 2026 · Accepted oral presentation · Abstract (PDF)

Clustered Virtual Reality Visual Field Testing for At-Home Glaucoma Monitoring: A Prospective Study at the Three-Year Mark

Irene Pak, Marcus L. Turner, Zer Keen Chia, Alan W. Kong, Benjamin T. Backus, Michael S. Deiner, Yvonne Ou @ ARVO 2025

Effect of Response Bias on Threshold Estimates in Confounded N-Alternative Optional Choice Experiments

James J. Blaha, Manish Z. Gupta, Benjamin T. Backus @ ARVO 2025

Identification of the physiological blind spot for visual field testing

Benjamin T. Backus, Corinne Shiu, Michael S. Deiner, James J. Blaha, Thaddeus B. Czuba, Yvonne Ou @ ARVO 2025

Precision, Accuracy, and Adherence for At-Home Clustered Visual Field Testing Using a New Psychophysical Procedure

Batsheva Rubin, Taylor Harwood, Ronald Zambrano, Fabio Lavinsky, Gadi Wollstein, Benjamin T. Backus, James Blaha, Manish Gupta, Thaddeus Czuba, Corinne Shiu, Michael Deiner, Yvonne Ou, Joel S. Schuman @ ARVO 2025

Assessment of the Feasibility of Remote Training, At-Home Testing, and Test-Retest Variability of Clustered Virtual Reality Perimetry

Zer Keen Chia, Alan W. Kong, Marcus L. Turner, Murtaza Saifee, Bertil E. Damato, Benjamin T. Backus, James J. Blaha, Joel S. Schuman, Michael Deiner, Yvonne Ou

Pilot study comparing a new virtual reality–based visual field test to standard perimetry in children

Yeabsira Mesfin, BS, Alan Kong, MD, Benjamin T. Backus, PhD, Michael Deiner, PhD, Yvonne Ou, MD, and Julius T. Oatts, MD (2024). Journal of AAPOS Volume 28 Number 3 / June 2024

Randomized Controlled Trial of Patching versus Dichoptic Stimulation Using Virtual Reality for Amblyopia Therapy

Meqdad Y, El-Basty M, Awadein A, Gouda J, Hassanein D (2024). Curr Eye Res. 2024 Feb;49(2):214-223.

Adherence for a new, 10-session, at-home, virtual reality visual field test in patients with glaucoma

Benjamin T. Backus, Markus L. Turner, Zer Keen Chia, Michael S. Deiner, Joel S. Schuman, Manish Gupta, Bertil E. Damato, James J. Blaha, Yvonne Ou
@ American Academy of Optometry, 2023 · Poster (PDF)

At-home perimetry

Benjamin T. Backus
@ Meta Reality Labs Workshop · October 5, 2023 · Presentation (PDF)

Dichoptic game training in strabismic amblyopia improves the visual evoked response

Blavakis Emmanouil, Jenny Spaho, Marina Chatzea, Angleliki Gleni, Sotiris Plainis (2023). Dichoptic game training in strabismic amblyopia improves the visual evoked response, DOI: 10.7759/cureus

Perimetry with a fixed-intensity, suprathreshold stimulus for at-home monitoring of visual field loss in moderate to severe glaucoma

Benjamin T. Backus
@ ARVO 2023 · Presentation (PDF)

The eRDS v6 Stereotest and the Vivid Vision Stereo Test: Two New Tests of Stereoscopic Vision

Denkinger S, Antoniou MP, Tarello D, Levi DM, Backus BT, Bavelier D, Chopin A (2023). Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2023 Mar 1;12(3):1.

Clinically practical measurement of standard error (SE) in bundled visual field tests

Benjamin T. Backus, Michael S. Deiner, Zer Keen Chia, Markus L. Turner, Bertil E. Damato, James J. Blaha, Yvonne Ou
@ ARVO 2022 · Poster (PDF)

High-precision, bundle-based tracking of visual fields, at home, in patients with glaucoma

Benjamin T. Backus, Michael S. Deiner, Marcus L. Turner, Zer Keen Chia, James J. Blaha, Manish Gupta, Bertil E. Damato, Yvonne Ou
@ Imaging and Perimetry Society · August 11, 2022 · Presentation (PDF)

Virtual Reality Oculokinetic Perimetry Test Reproducibility and Relationship to Conventional Perimetry and OCT.

Greenfield, J. A., Deiner, M., Nguyen, A., Wollstein, G., Damato, B., Backus, B. T., ... & Ou, Y. (2022). Virtual Reality Oculokinetic Perimetry Test Reproducibility and Relationship to Conventional Perimetry and OCT. Ophthalmology Science, 2(1), 100105, 1-6.

Implementing and monitoring at-home virtual reality oculo-kinetic perimetry during COVID-19.

Deiner, M. S., Damato, B. E., & Ou, Y. (2020). Implementing and monitoring at-home virtual reality oculo-kinetic perimetry during COVID-19. Ophthalmology, 127(9), 1258.

Visual Training in Virtual Reality in Adult Patients With Anisometric Amblyopia

Halička J., Sahatqija E., Krasňanský M., Kapitánová K., Fedorová M., Žiak P. (2020). In Czech and Slovak Ophthalmology (Vol. 76, Issue 3). Czech Society of Ophthalmology of the CzMA. https://doi.org/10.31348/2020/3

Binocular treatment for amblyopia in adults and children with low-pass filtering when occlusion therapy fails

Cindy Ho, Yousef M. Shahin, Henry Reis, Stefanie Grenier, Deborah Giaschi @ ARVO 2019

Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Using Virtual Reality

Tressa Malikkal, Tuan Tran, Benjamin T. Backus, Brian D. Dornbos, and Amanda L. Hauns @ COVD 2019

Medical Capital Innovation Competition 2019

1st place, $50k prize

Systematic approach to the treatment of binocular dysfunction using virtual reality

Benjamin T. Backus, Tuan Tran, Brian Dornbos, James Blaha, Manish Gupta, Amina Weed, Monica Fehrs @ COVD 2019

A Vivid Recovery of Stereopsis

Amina Weed, Brian Dornbos, and Tuan Tran @ ICBO 2018

Glaucoma Research Foundation 2018

Perfect Pitch Award, 1st place

Systems and methods for vision assessment

James J. Blaha, Benjamin T. Backus, Manish Z. Gupta (2018) U.S. Patent No. 16/191,324. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Use of virtual reality to assess and treat weakness in human stereoscopic vision

Backus, B. T., Dornbos, B. D., Tran, T. A., Blaha, J. B., & Gupta, M. Z. (2018). Use of virtual reality to assess and treat weakness in human stereoscopic vision. Electronic Imaging, 2018(4), 109-1.

Vision Therapy and Virtual Reality Applications

Fortenbacher, D. L., Bartolini, A., Dornbos, B., & Tran, T. (2018). Vision Therapy and Virtual Reality Applications. Advances in Ophthalmology and Optometry, 3(1), 39-59.

Amblyopia treatment of adults with dichoptic training using the virtual reality oculus rift head mounted display: preliminary results

Žiak, P., Holm, A., Halička, J., Mojžiš, P., & Piñero, D. P. (2017). BMC ophthalmology, 17(1), 105.

Clinical use of the Vivid Vision system to treat disorders of binocular vision

Backus, B. T., Tran, T., & Blaha, O. J. (2017).

Interactive system for vision assessment and correction

Blaha, J. J., & Gupta, M. (2017) U.S. Patent No. 9706910. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Diplopia: A virtual reality game designed to help amblyopics

Blaha, J., & Gupta, M. (2014, March). In 2014 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR) (pp. 163-164). IEEE.

IEEEVR 2014

Best Research Demo, 2nd place

Proto Awards 2014

Most Innovative Experience

Method and system for treating binocular anomalies

Benjamin T. Backus, Kenneth J. Ciuffreda, Diana Ludlam (2013) U.S. Patent No. 8602555B2. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Clinical Validation of Vivid Vision Perimetry endpoints for clinical trials

Use of continuous 3D target-tracking in VR to measure response latency to changes in depth

Backus B, Blaha J, Cormack L, Bonnen K Use of continuous 3D target-tracking in VR to measure response latency to changes in depth Journal of Vision. 18: 724. DOI: 10.1167/18.10.724