Visual Acuity Screening of Refugees and Immigrants with a Web-Based Digital Test: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Refugee Health

Background:

• Refugee populations often have limited access to regular healthcare, including eye examinations.
• Understanding the visual health status of refugees is crucial for their overall well-being and integration.
• Previous large-scale visual acuity screening in this demographic is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct visual acuity screening in two refugee camps in Greece.
• To assess the feasibility of implementing these screening methods nationwide.
• To identify potential barriers and facilitators to eye care access in refugee populations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the web-based Democritus Digital Acuity & Reading Test (DDART) for visual acuity assessment.
• Collected demographic and medical history data through structured questionnaires.
• Compared remote DDART measurements with hospital-based data for referred cases.

Main Results:

• Screened 330 adult refugees and immigrants; 47.3% had no prior ophthalmological examination.
• A significant negative correlation was found between age and education level with prior eye checks.
• Identified 6.97% of patients with impaired vision who were referred for further care.
• Remote DDART measurements showed no significant difference from hospital-based data.

Conclusions:

• Web-based DDART screening effectively provides valuable data on refugee visual capacity.
• The pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of nationwide replication of these screening methods.
• This approach can improve access to eye care and early detection of vision problems in displaced populations.