A pilot study of tele-ophthalmology outreach services to primary care

We have begun a randomized study of tele-ophthalmology. General practitioners in two participating health centres in the Negev region of Israel, serving a local population of 40,000, were invited to participate. The study group consisted of 50 consecutive patients attending the general eye outpatient clinic and 50 consecutive patients suffering from various retinal diseases attending a hospital outpatient clinic. The initial assessment was carried out via the tele-ophthalmology system. There was then a face-to-face re-examination of the same patients, in randomized order, by the same ophthalmologist on the same day, at an outpatient ophthalmology clinic.