深圳眼疾男孩变身“小发明家”摘得纽伦堡发明银奖

As a Chinese proverb goes, “Prolonged illness makes the patient a doctor,” but in the case of Gao Yunlu, a fifth grader from OCT Primary School in Nanshan District, “Prolonged illness makes the patient an inventor.”

Gao’s invention, a monitor for tracking the strength of ocular muscles, was unanimously esteemed by judges and won a silver medal at the 69th IENA International Trade Fair, which recently adjourned. The annual IENA is one of the world’s largest invention fairs and this year’s edition attracted inventors from 30 or so countries and regions.

With this stereo-like device, data on patients’ ocular muscles is promptly uploaded to doctors through an online channel. Quick monitoring and feedback can also be transmitted to doctors.

“The device shows the problems of the ocular muscle during the process of the rotation of the eyes and measures the strength of ocular muscle by taking pictures of reflected light-spots on the cornea when the eyes are rotating. Therefore, we can accurately identify which muscle is related to the problem by following the rotation of eyes. And we deliver the information relevant to the hospital via the online system after repeated comparison and analysis. Then we also transfer the results to the phones of parents or schools so that we can get corrective information and reminders in a timely and effective manner. It is convenient and efficient for counties with a large population like China,” Gao explained.

The 12-year-old was diagnosed with hyperopia and congenital eye oblique when he was just 5 years old. As he grew older, his eye disease has developed into strabismus.

In order to delve into the reasons for his eye afflictions, Gao and his father decided to turn to the Internet and ophthalmology books for help. After four years of continuous effort and learning, Gao’s eyes have gotten much better.

As a frequent “visitor” to eye hospitals, Gao sympathizes with those who suffer the same eye conditions as him, therefore, he wishes to one day put the treatment methods he has learned from books into practice and invent screening device for detecting weaknesses in ocular muscles.

(Yang Mei)