iPhone applications for eye care professionals: a review of current capabilities and concerns

To quantitatively review and categorize the eye care-related iPhone(®) (Apple(®), Cupertino, CA) applications ("apps") currently available, evaluate qualified professional involvement in app development, and suggest future needs in this emerging area of mobile health.

The Apple iTunes(®) store was searched for iPhone eye care-themed apps using the general terms "ophthalmology," "ophthalmologist," "optometry," "optometrist," "eye care," and "ocular," in addition to terms based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's common eye conditions. Data collected from each app included publication date, target audience, category of app, estimated number of downloads, average user rating, and documented involvement of qualified professionals.

In total, 182 apps were identified. The majority of apps lacked community user ratings and had 3,000 or fewer downloads (84% and 69%, respectively). Consistent with other medical specialties, only 37% of apps had documented qualified professional involvement in their development. When stratified by intended audience, 52% and 44% of apps designed for ophthalmologists and optometrists, respectively, had professional input, compared with 31% for non-eye care clinicians and 21% for the general public.

Smartphone apps are likely to become of increasingly greater relevance to the modern eye care professional with tremendous versatility in daily practice. However, despite the rapid emergence of eye care apps, a low level of qualified professional involvement in app development and a lack of peer review after publishing remain. There is a clear need for evidence-based principles and standards of app development to be adopted in this emerging area.