Background
Improvements in technology could facilitate task-shifting and ocular disease screening in rural areas.
Methods
Visual acuity (VA) was tested using a Ministry of Health 3-m VA card. Anterior segment photographs were taken using a three-dimensional printed cellphone attachment and remotely graded.
Results
Of 326 photographed eyes, 1 was ungradable. Of 123 eyes with non-refractive visual impairment, cataract was identified in 35.8%, pterygium in 41.5%, corneal opacity in 5.7% and phthisis in 2.4%.
Conclusions
While the cause of visual impairment cannot be determined without a posterior segment examination, the smartphone attachment proved to be easy to use by non-specialist workers and identified anterior segment pathology in most cases.
BT - Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene DO - 10.1093/trstmh/trab175 IS - 6 LA - eng N2 -Background
Improvements in technology could facilitate task-shifting and ocular disease screening in rural areas.
Methods
Visual acuity (VA) was tested using a Ministry of Health 3-m VA card. Anterior segment photographs were taken using a three-dimensional printed cellphone attachment and remotely graded.
Results
Of 326 photographed eyes, 1 was ungradable. Of 123 eyes with non-refractive visual impairment, cataract was identified in 35.8%, pterygium in 41.5%, corneal opacity in 5.7% and phthisis in 2.4%.
Conclusions
While the cause of visual impairment cannot be determined without a posterior segment examination, the smartphone attachment proved to be easy to use by non-specialist workers and identified anterior segment pathology in most cases.
PB - Oxford University Press (OUP) PY - 2021 SP - 589 EP - 591 T2 - Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene TI - Telemedicine for screening eye disease in the remote Peruvian Amazon: proof-of-concept VL - 116 SN - 0035-9203, 1878-3503 ER -