Eyesight Checks with Your Phone

A little under a year ago I remember seeing an app that was still under development but being used to check people’s eyesight. This sort of medical check would usually involve expensive and heavy equipment that’s hard to transport and would require professional training to use. The advent of smart phones has enabled a special kind of app to be created so someone with a basic knowledge and a little bit of training to carry out an eye check with little more than a phone.

Well this year I have seen that the application is one of this years winners for the 2014 design of the year awards and thought I would share some information about their accomplishment.

There are millions of people in the developing world who could benefit from these sorts of applications. Normally there would be no way to help these people but thanks to the advances in technology help could now be at hand.

The camera on the smart phone can be used to take a picture of an eye. This is then compared to a database of eyes for further analysis, which helps determine if the eye is healthy or unhealthy. With minor modifications the retina can also be scanned.

Standard eye tests that would normally require a trip to the opticians can easily be carried out by showing a letters of different sizes and orientations, much like that carried out at an optician. This can help determine how good an individual’s vision is and determine what sort of glasses if any, are required. These could then be ordered and sent to people in remote locations so saving a lengthy and time consuming trip to a not so local opticians or medical center.

Clearly this is no alternative to visiting the opticians or hospital but for those in the world without access to such medical facilities it brings them the chance to have their eyes tested and even obtain a diagnosis so as they can seek medical treatment.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-23708138

http://www.peekvision.org/#vision

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-23576269

http://www.cnet.com/news/eye-exams-using-a-mobile-phone/

http://www.dezeen.com/2014/04/28/portable-eye-examination-kit-peek-smartphone-adapter-app-designs-of-the-year-2014/