PRACTICAL USES OF TELEOPHTHALMOLOGY

Introduction: Telecommunications are becoming a part of every aspect of life – business, entertainment, medicine. As part of medicine ophthalmology is particularly amenable to the utilization of such applications. Teleophthalmology is gaining importance as an effective eye care delivery modality worldwide. While currently most efforts are concentrated on screening and referral to experts, it could be used as a research and clinical tool. Aim and tasks: To assess the spread and use of telemedicine in ophthalmology. Materials and methods: A structured literature search was done in search engines such as PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar using the following keywords – teleophthalmology OR telemedicine OR teleophthalmology OR telediabetic screening OR teleglaucoma OR tele ROP OR telescreening AND Diabetic retinopathy OR retinopathy of prematurity OR macular diseases. One hundred and seventy five articles were reviewed. Results: Most current research is focused on screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), and other sightthreatening conditions. Studies report only 2% of screened eyes requiring in-person examination due to ungradable images. Tele-screening required less time than its bedside counterpart, and while further research is needed most studies suggest high specificity and sensitivity. Conclusion: Teleophthalmology also allow for greater coverage of health care, providing access to an ophthalmologist even in distant and rural areas. At the same time it reduces time and travel costs, while providing high acceptance and satisfaction levels.