Researchers develop handheld device to improve early detection, treatment of amblyopia

The Q3D handheld diagnostic tool Image credit: University of Missouri – St Louis

A new handheld device developed by University of Missouri – St Louis (UMSL) researchers works to detect and treat amblyopia early and utilizes the Quantitative 3 Dot (Q3D) Test to identify visual suppression.¹ The device was developed by Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor Carl Bassi and research collaborators Michael Howe and Wayne Garver and has been licensed by Forus Health, according to a news release.

“I really do think it's going to be something that's going to help a lot of people,” Bassi said in the release. “I do think it can make a difference in the world.”

He stated in the release that he first came up with the idea for the device in the early 1990s, having just joined the UMSL faculty, while examining the vision of patients with Alzheimer disease. Bassi and his colleagues were modifying existing pediatric techniques in order to gauge binocular function, with one of the main screening tests being the Worth Four Dot Test.¹

“The problem is it's not quantitative,” Bassi said in the release. “It just gives you this gross kind of yes or no, and you have to have a severe problem before you're able to pick anything up with that. My idea very early on was to try to change the intensity of these lights independently. We had to wait for a long time until technology kind of caught up with doing what we wanted to do because it took the development of not only LED lights but super bright LED lights that were needed to do the test right.”

By being able to alter the intensity of these lights, the researchers have been able to detect vision suppression associated with amblyopia much soon than previous methods allowed.¹

Then, in 2014, they won a $50,000 FastTrack award from the University of Missouri System to create working prototypes for the device. After being studied at the UMSL Eye Care clinic, the Q3D device was involved in a clinical trial with more than 300 patients enrolled at the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, led by Oscar A Cruz, MD, and Bradley Davitt, MD. Trial results demonstrated that Q3D can be used on patients as young as 3 years old and is a significantly more sensitive predictor of visual suppression when compared with current methods. Specifically, Q3D detected 4 times the number of impairments in patients with amblyopia as the Worth Four Dot Test.¹

"At Forus Health, our mission has always been to enable early, equitable and impactful eye care,” said K. Chandrasekhar, the founder and CEO of Forus Health, in the release. “This commitment drives every innovation we pursue and every partnership we form, as we strive to make advanced eye care accessible to all, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status. Licensing the Q3D technology aligns perfectly with that vision. It represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to equip clinicians with cutting-edge tools that enhance diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes. By bringing a more sensitive and accessible diagnostic tool for amblyopia into the hands of clinicians, we have the opportunity to change the trajectory of vision outcomes for millions of children worldwide.

“We are proud to collaborate with the team at UMSL to take this innovation from lab to life –transforming early detection into early intervention."

Reference:

1. Q3D diagnostic testing device developed at UMSL allows for earlier detection, treatment of amblyopia or “lazy eye.” News release. University of Missouri – St Louis. June 4, 2025. Accessed June 6, 2025.