Remote visual acuity testing
An accurate and reliable visual acuity test that can be undertaken remotely and without administration by a clinician has the potential to augment teleophthalmology, primary and emergency care, and screening initiatives. Screening, such as for amblyopia in young children, is often limited by availability of trained personnel. Teleophthalmology could allow more patients to avoid unnecessary trips to hospital or clinic, and help reduce barriers to close follow-up when required. The quality of referrals and triage could be improved by giving non-specialists in primary care and emergency care settings access to a convenient vision test, improving the patient experience and reducing demand on eye care services. Robust validation in real-world settings is essential to justify deployment.
DigiVis
DigiVis uses two internet-connected devices to measure and calibrate a working distance for vision testing, providing an accurate estimate of visual acuity. We validated DigiVis in a broad cross-sectional study of ophthalmology patients with a range of visual function, finding it to be as accurate and reliable as clinical visual acuity testing with a Snellen or ETDRS chart. The results of this validation study were published in Eye.
Comparing different remote visual acuity tests
Many visual acuity tests have been developed, but validation studies often trial them in artificial, idea, or unrealistic settings. We undertook a systematic review to evaluate tests validated in real-world settings, away from eye care infrastructure and personnel.
DigiVis, Peek Acuity, and iSight Professional appear promising in terms of accuracy and reliability, and other tests are emerging. Our full findings were published in PLOS ONE.
