JMIR medical informatics
Exploring the Role of Portable Ophthalmic Devices in Clinical and Nonclinical Settings: Qualitative Study of Ophthalmologists and Optometrists
By Barton J, Gopalakrishnan S, Singman E and 2 others.
Abstract
Background
Access to eye care is a persistent challenge due to the high global burden of visual impairment and barriers to receiving eye care, such as transportation and cost. Conventional ophthalmic equipment is immobile and unsuitable for bedside or community use, and this limits timely diagnosis and care delivery. Portable ophthalmic devices, such as handheld slit-lamps and fundus cameras, offer the potential to extend diagnostic capabilities to nonclinical settings and improve accessibility of eye care.
Objective
This study examined eye care professionals' perceptions and experiences with portable ophthalmic devices, focusing on their roles in both clinical and nonclinical settings.
Methods
Thirty-one practicing eye care professionals (16 ophthalmologists, 15 optometrists; 16 female, 15 male) with 2 to 45 years of clinical experience (mean 20.5, SD 13.1 y) participated. Semistructured interviews were conducted in person or via videoconferencing. The interview included open-ended qualitative questions on current and past use, benefits, and desired features of portable devices, along with quantitative ratings of device attributes on a 1 to 10 scale. Transcripts were coded in NVivo using thematic analysis, and descriptive statistics were calculated for the quantitative data.