This retrospective review compared visual acuity findings by parents / carers during telehealth consultations compared with their subsequent in-person tests. Parents were given an information pack with testing instructions for home tests. The study included 43 patients (86 eyes) with data of 74 examined via teleconsultation. During teleconsultation, mean visual acuity was 0.16 logMAR versus 0.09 logMAR at the subsequent in-person visit. Seventy-five percent were within 0.2 logMAR and 89% within 0.3. Overall correlation was 0.560 which increased to 0.7 for children aged over eight years (versus correlation of 0.462 for children younger than five years). The findings were that remote visual acuity testing was not equivalent to in-person testing but was useful for older children. If using home testing in the future, it is important consider better online instructions for parents / carers. Further study needs to gather information about difficulties and barriers when undertaking home testing.
Home testing versus in-person visual acuity test results
Reviewed by Fiona Rowe
Real-world application of home visual acuity testing for pediatric teleophthalmology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CONTRIBUTOR
Fiona Rowe (Prof)
Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, UK.
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