DR FELIX OLAFISOYE THE INNOVATIVE NIGERIAN OPTOMETRIST WITH MANY CREATIVE IDEAS

Dr. Felix Olafisoye is a creative and professional Nigerian optometrist we are proud of. His creativity, tinkering ability and ideas are unimaginable. He is an exemplary professional optometrist who has over the years demonstrated excellent professionalism and rekindled hope in Nigerian Optometry.
One of his many brilliant ideas is THE FAMILY OF OPTOMETRIC MENTORS he created in 2014, which today is rekindling hope in optometry, especially for junior optometrists in Nigeria.

Dr. Felix is an inventor, innovator and fabricator who like to tinker with ideas. He has over the years invented or fabricated various Instruments for clinical Optometry with available local materials. The Family of Optometric Mentors cannot underestimate the importance of these inventions and fabrications and the family is proud to present to the world some of his numerous fabrications and innovations.
His inventions so far include:
1. FELIDAPTER ™: A smartphone adapter for Slitlamp Micrography or phoneography.
2. FELIAUSTIN ™ : A slitlamp adapter for 78D / 90D Volk lens
3. FELITER ™ : A slitlamp yellow filter accessory
4. FELISCOPE ™: A vergence stereoscope for training of fusion and stereo vision
5. FELITONY™ : A Schematic eye for Ophthalmoscopy.

I shall introduce to you one by one these inventions sooner but meanwhile, let me introduce to you DR Felix’s other ophthalmic Instrument which are not his inventions but locally fabricated here in Nigeria by him.
Today in Nigeria, there are so many ophthalmic equipment that are difficult to source for locally. Vision therapy kits and equipment are among such scarce ophthalmic equipment.

Dr. Felix Olafisoye realized this dearth of Vision therapy equipment and after few years of thorough researches, he commenced the local fabrications of these scarce equipment for the benefit of Optometrists in Nigeria and Africa.
Though not the originator, but some of these locally fabricated instruments by him include:

1. FELIX RULE
2. FELIVISOR
3. LIX SCHEMATIC EYE RETINOSCOPE
4. APERTURE RULE
5. CHEIROSCOPE
6. BREWSTER STEREOSCOPE
7. DIPLOSCOPE
8. VISION THERAPY FREE SPACE CARDS
9. FLIPPER LENS
10. SLITLAMP DIFFUSER
11. HANDHELD NEAR VA CHART
12. HAND HELD MAGNIFIER
13. REMY SEPARATOR

We shall expanciate on all his inventions and other local fabrications.

1ST INVENTION…. Felidapter ™

The Felidapter was invented by Dr Felix Olafisoye in 2018. Felidapter is a smartphone adapter for Slitlamp Micrography or phoneography. This was fabricated in his mini workshop within his clinic, Supreme Vision eye clinic in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
According to him, this idea was borne out of the burning desire to teach slitlamp biomicroscopy hands-on in a very easy and practicable way.
Felidapter allows taking high quality photography and videography with smartphone camera. Felidapter is a universal adapter quite compatible with all phones. Felidapter can enable connection of your slitlamp to TV screen if your phone is HDMI compatible. Felidapter is a slitlamp Phoneography made easy.

2ND INVENTION…….FELIAUSTIN ™

 

• Dr. Felix’s second topmost innovation is Feliaustin™, a slitlamp adapter for 78 Diopter or 90 Diopter Volks lens.
• Slitlamp Funduscopy with Volk lens is an art so difficult to master by many optometrists in Nigeria. It is an art so difficult to teach too. Imagine using a big bible or Borish to support your elbow and that frustration of shaky hand while doing slitlamp funduscopy with Volks lens. Necessity is the mother of invention. Dr. Felix identified this problem and in 2018, he invented Feliaustin™, a suitable and easy to use Volks lens adapter for slitlamp funduscopy.
• Now, an ordinary technician can use Feliaustin™ to view the fundus. It is hands-free. It requires no maneuver. This is slitlamp funduscospy made easy.

3RD INVENTION…..FELITER ™ (THE SLITLAMP YELLOW FILTER)

• Feliter™ 1 & 2 are yellow filters invented by Dr Felix Olafisoye.
• Dr Felix observed over the years that many slitlamp do not come with a yellow filter that is so useful for fluorescein staining enhancement.
• He also observed that many optometrists in Nigeria have Slitlamps without yellow filters and this is a limitation. Dr. Felix saw this need and in his wisdom invented his 3rd innovation: THE FELITER ™ yellow filters

4TH INVENTION…. FELISCOPE ™

• Feliscope ™, a vergence stereoscope was invented by Dr. Felix Olafisoye in 2017.
• Feliscope ™ is an instrument for training of fusion and stereo vision. It incorporates both free space and instrument training techniques. It can train fusional amplitude of both divergence (i.e. negative fusion) and convergence (i.e. positive fusion).
• Another unique feature of Feliscope is that it also incorporates both the Brewster-Holmes stereoscope and the Remy separator methods and it can also be used with many free space fusion cards. These free space cards include:
• Eccentric circle cards
• Lifesaver card (opaque and transparent)
• Gotlieb column of circles
• Wiley’s cards.
• Free space fusion card, and so many more.
One more important feature is that Feliscope ™ can be operated both in a static and dynamic modes. In the Basic mode, Static images are displayed with different vergence targets. In the Dynamic mode, targets and fusion cards are separated and controlled by the user with a horizontal slider.
Feliscope can be used:
1.To train positive and negative fusional vergences.
2.To Train vergence facility
3.To improve depth perception, fusion, and focusing ability.
Feliscope Special Features include:
•The instrument allows flexibility. It is hands-free
•It can be used with many free space fusion cards. This helps to eliminate boredom especially in children. Both opaque and transparent cards can be used.
•It has adjustable height.
•Training range for both convergence and divergence is unlimited.
•Jump duction can be performed on Feliscope with most free space fusion cards

5th invention.
FELITONY ™ SCHEMATIC eye OPHTHALMOSCOPE

•Funduscopy using Ophthalmoscope, BIO and slitlamp is one of the most difficult arts in Optometric practice. Teaching funduscopy can be difficult especially that of retinal diseases. Identification of retinal diseases requires years of perfections. What you don’t know you cannot see. If you haven’t seen a macular pucker or pre-retinal membrane before, there is no way you can recognize one.
• So, how do we teach funduscopy with slitlamp, BIO or Ophthalmoscope in schools and clinics and make familiarity with retinal diseases quick and easy?.
• Necessity is the mother of invention. Dr Felix in one of our tinkering modes, devised a means that could assist optometrists in Nigeria to teach or learn funduscopy with ease. In 2018, He fabricated FELITONY SCHEMATIC EYE OPHTHALMOSCOPE, a schematic Eye Viewer for Teaching retinal diseases.
• Felitony schematic ophthalmoscope is a table top model with an adjustable height and flexible neck that can be tilted to suit users height and position. It comes with unlimited retina Simulation or slides. These unlimited retinal slides include normal retinas and retinas with different diseases and disfigurations. Felitony can be used to train on ophthalmoscopy, Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy and slitlamp funduscopy.

OTHER EQUIPMENT FABRICATED BY DR. FELIX OLAFISOYE

• Nigeria we know is a consumer country. 100% of the ophthalmic equipment are imported and the importers are very few. This has made these equipment so costly and scarce.
• Dr. Felix Olafisoye saw this need and brought his ingenuity into play. In 2017, He commenced fabrications of these instruments locally in Nigeria with available raw materials he could find.
• Today, he has locally produced the following equipment that are scarce in Nigeria.

1. FELIX RULE
2. Lix SCHEMATIC EYE RETINOSCOPE
3. SLITLAMP DIFFUSER
4. VOLKS LENS ADAPTER (FELIAUSTIN)
5. SLITLAMP ANDROID PHONE ADAPTER (FELIDAPTER)
6. BREWSTER STEREOSCOPE
7. FLIPPER LENS
8. APERTURE RULE
9. CHEIROSCOPE
10. DIPLOSCOPE
11. FREE SPACE CARDS
12. HANDHELD NEAR VA CHART
13. HAND HELD MAGNIFIER
14. COLOUR VISION CHART
15. REMY SEPARATOR
16. HEADBAND MAGNIFIER
17.

1. FELIX RULE

• The Felix near point rule, designed and fabricated by Dr. Felix Olafisoye is a calibrated meter rule with a rotary and sliding cube, housing different charts for the purpose of carrying out various testing procedures.
The FELIX RULE is made up of Chin rest, The square meter rule and adjustable rotary charts. The Felix Rule consists of a rotating four-sided cubical drum held on a slider. Each of the four sides has different accommodative targets with black prints on a white background which include:
• 1. The near VA chart
• 2. The N6 reading chart
• 3. The near Snellen letter chart
• 4. The NPC fixation arrow.

• The square rule is made of four sides:
• Side 1: Contains a centimetre, millimetre and inches scales
• Side II: Corresponding equivalent dioptric scale
• Side III: Corresponding expected age scale
• Side IV: Scale indicating the positions of normal NPC, reduced NPC and abnormal NPC.
The Felix rule can be used to assess the patient’s:
• 1. Near point of convergence,
• 2. Range of accommodation and
• 3. Accommodative amplitude

• WHY IS FELIX RULE DIFFERENT FROM THE RAF RULE ?
• The cheek rest of the RAF rule is 6 cm in length and is attached to one end of the rule. This 6cm long cheek rest results in the RAF rule being positioned further from the plane of the eyes. The RAF rule is designed such that the cheek rest cannot advance closer than 5.5 cm towards the patient’s face and allows the measurement of the near point of convergence only up to 5.5 cm. This means the RAF rule cannot measure NPC of patient closer than 6cm. This is a demerit.
• This demerit in measurement is what Felix rule tried to compensate. Dr Felix saw the need to reassess and modify the design of RAF rule in order to overcome its drawbacks and make RAF rule more effective.
• The cheek rest of the Felix rule is attached to one end of the rule at 0cm position. This means Felix rule can measure much closer with no restriction than the RAF rule

2. LIX™ SCHEMATIC EYE RETINOSCOPE

• In 2018, Dr. Felix locally fabricated the first ever made in Nigeria Schematic eye for retinoscopy . The schematic eye Retinoscope is an excellent instrument for training on objective refraction and education.
• It has a sliding scale in diopters ranging from +11 D hyperopia to – 8.50D myopia. Most schematic designs in the world today have dioptric scales ranging from +5.00 to -6.00.
• Also, while most schematic eye are built with wells that accommodate two trial lenses, but his locally fabricated schematic eye Retinoscope has a front spacious wells that can accommodate at least three trial lenses for extended range use with plus and minus powers, or use of cylinder lenses to simulate astigmatism.
• The Schematic Eye can be tilted to enable observer to precisely sight on optic axis. A degree scale (0 – 180) is printed on the front window of the device to aid in setting trial lenses. The cylinder axis can be read off the graduated scale
• This is a major break through for optometrists in Nigeria, especially training institutions, clinics, interns, externs and optometric students.
• The local fabrication of schematic eye retinoscpe will surely help young optometrists and optometric students to acquire the perfect skill of performing retinoscopy, and Instructors or teachers a means to evaluate that skill. Even, practicing optometrists who have lost the beautiful art of retinoscopy can revive their skills using it.

3. SLITLAMP DIFFUSER

• Many slitlamps are manufactured without diffusers. This deficiency prompted Dr. Felix Olafisoye to commence fabrication of Slitlamp diffusers in 2017 to assist his colleagues in Nigeria. Diffuse illumination is a good method of observing the eye and adnexa in general. This requires a diffuser. It is good when some annoying reflections need to be mitigated. Actually, a diffuser is a useful and excellent tool for taking images of eyelid, conjunctiva and iris regions. It is a good option for the cornea when we need to capture fluorescein stains.
• Today, Dr. Felix is so glad he could solve his colleagues problem and disappointment in their slitlamp.

4. BREWSTER STEREOSCOPE

• David Wheatstone invented the first stereoscope in 1838. Contrary to a common assertion, David Brewster did not invent the stereoscope but he helped to modify Wheatstone’s invention and made it commercially possible. Today, most stereoscopes are named after Brewster. Several, scientist have also modified Brewster’s stereoscope and to-date we have some few companies like Bernell and Keystone manufacturing stereoscopes.
• But in Nigeria, stereoscopes are not so popular. This may be due to the dearth of knowledge in area of Vision therapy or scarcity and high cost of this equipment.
• In one of his tinkering mode, Dr Felix deviced a cheap way of producing a 100% locally fabricated stereoscope .
• His locally fabricated stereoscope is made from durable plastic and metal. It is lightweight, portable, detachable, and can be hand-held or set on table. It is height adjustable and has a head rest too.
• He also fabricated all its stereographic cards locally. These include, the Base In, Base Out and Jump duction cards.
• Stereoscope is actually used for vision testing and training program for strabismics and non-strabismics vision disorders.
• It can be used to break down suppression while enhancing binocular stability. It can train vergence facility and improve depth perception, fusion, and focusing ability. The instrument helps in Base-In and Base-Out training that improves binocular reserves.

5. FLIPPER LENS

Accommodative facility test is one of the accommodation tests most optometrists have long abandoned. This is no fault of theirs since the major instrument, Flipper lens, for accommodative facility test is not easily accessible in Nigeria.
As Dr Felix continued to tinker with ideas, he finally, in 2018, produced the first locally made Flipper lens in Nigeria.
The flippers come with powers in the range of +1.00/-1.00 up to +2.50/-2.50
He firmly believed this will solve the problem of accessibility as times go on.

6. DiploScope

Diploscope is an orthoptic instrument rarely used by optometrists in Nigeria. This has been largely due to unavailability as all our ophthalmic equipment supplies do not deal in it.
As Dr. Felix Olafisoye continue to tinker with ideas, He found out that most of these rare equipment can at last be fabricated here in Nigeria.
Today, we present to you his locally manufacture, hand made, Diploscope, fabricated at the comfort of his clinic in Supreme Vision
Diploscope invented by Remy Albert in 1930, is a biocular instrument designed to test for binocular vision and muscle balance. It is used for training of relationship between accommodation and convergence. It is based on dissociation of real space.

7. FELIVISOR

• FELIVISOR is a headband magnifier fabricated by Dr Felix in 2018. FeliVisor may likely be the first locally fabricated headband magnifier in Nigeria.
• FeliVisor is made from light, durable, impact resistant plastic. This magnifying headset leaves both hands free and can be worn over prescription glasses. The Headband strap easily and no adjustment needed.
• Especially good for external eye examination and contact lens fitting. It is also useful for fluorescein staining of the cornea and tears when used with cobalt blue penlight.

8. CHEIROSCOPE

Cheiroscope™ is a Single Oblique Mirror Stereoscope (SOMS) used in vision therapy. Cheiroscope is used to train for fusion, stereopsis, simultaneous binocular perception and vergences.

Cheiroscope like every other VT units is not sold in Nigeria and therefore rarely used by optometrists.

Dr Felix in his wisdom has researched into Cheiroscope and in 2017, he fabricated it with locally available materials.

9. APERTURE RULE

Aperture rule ™ is used in vision therapy to eliminate suppression, convergence and divergence problems and improve fusional recerves.
Yet, Aperture rule like every other VT units is not sold in Nigeria.
In 2017, Dr Felix fabricated aperture rule inorder to make them locally available

10. REMY SEPARATOR

• So many useful ophthalmic instruments are becoming extinct in Nigeria due to non availability or inaccessibility. Equipment like Turville Near Balance Unit, Maddox wing, Giles Three Needle Test, Diploscope, Amblyoscope and Remy Separator are ,these days, strange to optometrists in Nigeria.
• Dr. Felix Olafisoye has embarked on a rescue mission. This mission is To fabricate and make unavailable instruments easily accessible to all Nigerian Optometrists and standardized their practices. This he firmly believed would help make optometry more interesting to practise.
• In his tinkering mood, he shifted attention to these seemingly extinct equipment and eventually, in 2018, he fabricated the Remy Separator.
• Remy Separator is a mechanical instrument used for relaxation of accommodation and convergence. It is useful for correction of convergence excess or divergence insufficiency.
• Remy separator is a simple, handheld instrument for separating the vision of both eyes (Biocular vision).
• It is mostly used for anti-suppression or divergence training. Remy Separator consists of a vertical septum in the median plane, which is attached to a target holder.
• Now, optometrist in Nigeria can add Remy Separator to their Vision Therapy unit and make divergence training fun.
11. FREE SPACE CARDS
Dr. Felix Olafisoye has also fabricated many free space cards that are not available in Nigeria. These include:

1. Eccentric circle cards
2. Free space fusion card
3. Barrel cards
4. Gotlieb column of circle
5. Willey card 1 & 2
6. Sport fixation card
7. Brock strings
8. Hart charts
9. Bernell Accommodation chart set
10. Keystone Life saver cards (opaque)
11. Keystone Life saver cards (transparent

12. HANDHELD NEAR VA CHART AND HAND HELD MAGNIFIER

• Dr Felix also produced LED near VA chart and handheld magnifier with local materials he could source.

CONCLUSION
You will agree with me that most ophthalmic equipment can be produced in Nigeria with available local materials if there is necessary support for this brilliant professional optometrist.
Dr. Felix is poised to acquire the manufacturing right for all the equipment not innovated by him. He is also working to acquire patent for his innovations from National office for Technology Acquisition and promotion (NOTAP), Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Nigeria.
With support from the government and the Nigerian Optometric Association, Dr Felix Olafisoye can actually do better and make Optometrists more professional in their eye care delivery.
You will agree with me that Dr Felix Olafisoye is actually an INNOVATIVE NIGERIAN OPTOMETRIST WITH MANY CREATIVE IDEAS

WRITTEN BY DR ALWELL MADUAKOLAM