Teleophthalmology research: Where do we stand?

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Informatics
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Teleophthalmology research has grown significantly, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Research output is heavily concentrated in a few high-income nations.
• The Human Development Index (HDI) is a key factor associated with research productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze global research trends in teleophthalmology.
• To assess research productivity and its correlation with the Human Development Index (HDI).
• To identify key themes and leading countries in teleophthalmology research.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional bibliometric study using Web of Science data.
• Analysis of publication and citation counts, and publications per million population.
• Correlation analysis with Human Development Report (2020) data and visualization using VOSviewer and Citspace.

Main Results:

• 355 publications identified, with one-third published in 2020.
• USA and India lead in publication and citation counts; Singapore and Australia lead in publications per million population.
• Very high HDI countries produced significantly more publications per capita than lower HDI countries.

Conclusions:

• Teleophthalmology research is dominated by a small number of countries, necessitating broader global participation.
• Key research areas include artificial intelligence applications and the impact of COVID-19.
• Further efforts are required to enhance global research contributions in teleophthalmology.