A protocol to quantify cross-sectional and longitudinal differences in duction patterns

Abstract

Currently, there is no established system for quantifying patterns of ocular ductions. This poses challenges in tracking the onset and evolution of ocular motility disorders, as current clinical methodologies rely on subjective observations of individual movements. We propose a protocol that integrates image processing, a statistical framework of summary indices, and criteria for evaluating both cross-sectional and longitudinal differences in ductions to address this methodological gap. We demonstrate that our protocol reliably transforms objective estimates of ocular rotations into normative patterns of total movement area and movement symmetry. This is a critical step towards clinical application in which our protocol could first diagnose and then track the progression and resolution of ocular motility disorders over time.