New study shows success of Home Vision Monitor smartphone app
Launched in February 2021, the Home Vision Monitor smartphone app was developed by pharmaceutical company Roche and has now been tested by a team at NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, with the findings published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
The results of the study show how effective the app has been in a real-world setting, as well as highlighting barriers to its use. To trial the app, researchers recruited 400 patients at Moorfields Eye Hospital with common retinal conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Highlights of the results included 98% of patients finding the app easy, or very easy, to use, and clinicians being alerted to 26 significant changes to vision during the study period.
The app development and research were led by Moorfields consultant ophthalmic surgeon Konstantinos Balaskas, who commented:
“Not only has Home Vision Monitoring saved trips to hospital and proven to be easy to use, even for many of those who struggle with technology, it has helped us to respond earlier to signs of deterioration in eye conditions.”