Smartphones in Ophthalmology

By Ron K Lord, MD and Vinay A Shah, MD

Whether you own an iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, or equivalent; Smartphones are valuable assets to Ophthalmologists. Some polls estimate that 1 out of every 2 physicians utilizes a personal digital assistant (PDA) or smartphone and it’s expected that this number will continue to rise. These electronic devices have evolved dramatically over recent years and are now far more than a simple combination of a PDA and a cellular phone. Today’s smartphones are multifunctional electronic devices that can be used to perform photography & videography, internet browsing, data sharing, listening to music, and watching movies. Smartphones hold about 10% of the cell phone market and are expected to double their penetration in the market by 2013 according to some analysts. There is applicability in virtually every part of the ophthalmologic examination.

In our practice and training we have used them to take slit lamp photographs of the anterior segment, and fundus photos via slit lamp biomicroscopy. We have also used smartphones to take indirect ophthalmoscopy photographs. With available applications smartphones can be utilized as a near vision card, Amsler grid, color plates, OKN drum, and pupil gauge in non office emergency and consultation settings. These devices can also be used in the pediatric exam with novel optotypes & attention getting pictures/videos that can be used to facilitate fixation in a child. Diagrams and videos can be used to educate patients about eye conditions or contemplated procedures. With appropriate consent and adherence to privacy rules, clinical photographs & videos, MRI & CT images can be wirelessly sent and received securely for real-time consultation with attending faculty and/or subspecialists. Images and videos can also be saved and used for later case presentation and educational value. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) applications are also now available on smartphones. Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) study and Ophthalmologic recertification preparation can be undertaken using this novel medium. Novel devices like microscope and ultrasound attachments are being developed. Its conceivable that in the future Pachymetry, and A & B scans could be performed with a smartphone. There are many ophthalmology related applications available.

-Eye Hand Book: We at the University of Missouri Kansas City have developed the “Eye Handbook” (http://www.eyehandbook.com/). This is a free application developed for the iPhone that combines many of the above mentioned utilities in one easy to use interface.

-Wills Eye Manual

-Epocrates®

-Applications to perform optics calculations, IOL and strabismus calculations

-Vision testing applications

This is an exciting time in ophthalmology. It’s foreseeable that smartphones will continue to evolve into even more powerful, versatile and portable devices with a wide array of applications not only in ophthalmology, but other fields as well. In future articles we will discuss various available smartphone softwares and their applicability to the ophthalmologist in detail.

Novel Uses of the iPhone in Ophthalmology-Poster, PO369
October 26, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Authors:
Ron K Lord, MD
3rd Year ophthalmology resident
University of Missouri Kansas City
dr.kenlord@gmail.com
http://www.eyehandbook.com/

Vinay A. Shah, MD
Vitreo-retina Fellow
Kresge Eye Institute, Detroit MI.
drvinayshah@gmail.com
http://www.eyehandbook.com/