Smartphone photography to diagnose eye diseases

WASHINGTON: Eyephone! A simple and inexpensive
technique that uses smartphone photography can help
diagnose eye diseases, scientists say.
Retinal (or fundus) photography is an essential part of
any ophthalmology practice.
Commercial fundus cameras can cost tens to hundreds
of thousands of dollars, making the technology out of
reach for smaller ophthalmic practices and to
physicians in third-world countries.
In a recent study, researchers at Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary described the relatively simple
technique of fundus photography in human and rabbit
eyes using a smartphone, an inexpensive app for the
smartphone, and instruments that are readily
available.
Smartphones are now being used more routinely in
ophthalmology to document patients' ocular
conditions, researchers said.
"Our technique provides a simpler and higher quality
method to more consistently produce excellent images
of a patient's fundus," said senior author Shizuo
Mukai.
"This technique has been extremely helpful for us in
the emergency department setting, in-patient
consultations, and during examinations under
anaesthesia as it provides a cheaper and portable
option for high-quality fundus-image acquisition for
documentation and consultation.
"This technique is well tolerated in awake patients
most likely since the light intensity used is often well
below that which is used in standard indirect
ophthalmoscopy," Mukai said.
Using the described technique of fundus photography
with the use of smartphones, the app Filmic pro, and a
20D lens with or without a Koeppe lens, researchers
were able to capture excellent, high-quality fundus
images in both children under anaesthesia and in
awake adults.
The best results were achieved in the operating room
when a Koeppe lens was used in addition to the 20D
lens; however, excellent images were acquired with the
20D lens alone in the clinic and emergency room
setting as well as in the operating room.
"This technique is relatively inexpensive and simple to
master, and takes advantage of the expanding mobile-
telephone networks for telemedicine," Mukai said.