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A smartphone ocular alignment measurement app in school screening for strabismus
Wenbo Cheng1, Marissa H Lynn2, Shrinivas Pundlik2
1Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, 137 Liyvshan Road. Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830000, China. chengwenbo123@126.com.
BMC Ophthalmology
|March 26, 2021
Summary
A smartphone app effectively screened elementary students for strabismus, a key cause of amblyopia. This tool shows promise for improving early detection in school vision screenings.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Mobile Health Technology
Background:
- Strabismus is a primary risk factor for amblyopia, necessitating early detection to prevent visual impairment.
- Traditional school strabismus screenings face challenges including training, mobility, and cost.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of a smartphone application for detecting strabismus in school vision screenings.
Main Methods:
- A smartphone app (EyeTurn) utilizing a computerized Hirschberg test measured ocular misalignment.
- A school nurse screened 133 children; app measurements were verified by an ophthalmologist using prism alternating cover test (PACT).
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined optimal app thresholds for strabismus detection.
Main Results:
- The app successfully obtained measurements for 93% of children.
- Six cases of strabismus were confirmed, including exotropia, constant esotropia, and accommodative esotropia.
- The optimal app threshold yielded 83.0% sensitivity and 76.5% specificity, detecting more cases than conventional screening.
Conclusions:
- The smartphone application is feasible for use by untrained personnel in school screenings.
- This technology can potentially enhance the detection of strabismus, improving early intervention for amblyopia.
