Iris Biometric Recognition Introduced

By Melissa Maynarich, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMC CITY -- The blink of an eye is all it takes for a loved one to go missing, but thanks to technology the ability to find missing people is improving.

It's possible because of "iris biometric recognition".

More simply, an eye scan. And it's geared toward people who may not be able to identify themselves like children, and in some cases, the elderly.

Keith Wingo has Alzheimer's Disease. His daughters are often worried about him wandering away.

"My dad could not articulate to someone his name, his address, his phone number, his Social Security number," Wingo's daughter Jeaneen Pointer said. "None of those things could he share with someone who might be able to find him."

That's why Wingo is getting an eye scan.

The equipment used captures a high resolution digital photograph of the iris. Which optometrists say is more detailed than a fingerprint.

"The more components that you can collect, the more accurate, the more sure you are of who this individual is for identity verification," Optometric Physician Dr. Max Venard said.

With the photograph, personal information and contacts are stored. If a person were to go missing, they could be identified quickly and easily with the scanning device and doctors say it is not harmful.

"The iris never changes, so that's why it's a very valuable tool," Venard said.

The database is building. Across the nation, 250,000 people have been entered. In Oklahoma, several counties are already on board.

For Wingo and his daughter's, it's easing their mind.

"It is very calming," Pointer said. "It is very reassuring to know that we've used that mechanism, that there are means out there to identify him should that ever be needed."

The Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians is leading the charge to get people in the database. They've teamed with the Oklahoma Sherriff's Association to offer iris scanning to seniors with Alzheimer's and kids.

Learn more about getting an eye scan for free.