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Real-time telemedicine in the clinical assessment of the ocular surface
S Shimmura1, N Shinozaki, K Fukagawa
1Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan.
Purpose:
To report the feasibility of real-time video and audio transmission of slit-lamp images of the eye using conventional telephone systems.
Method:
We analyzed the feasibility and benefits of telemedicine in the diagnosis and follow-up of ocular surface disorders in referral patients using a real-time audio-video system that functions through integrated services digital network lines at a transmission speed of 384 kilobytes per second.
Results:
Real-time slit-lamp images obtained through integrated services digital network lines offered satisfactory visual resolution of the ocular surface for the diagnosis and follow-up of ocular surface and corneal disease, while simultaneous audio transmission allowed for direct communication with the patient and attending physician when necessary.
Conclusion:
Telemedicine using conventional telecommunication infrastructures offers sufficient information for the diagnosis and follow-up of ocular surface disorders in referral patients.