Assessment of Eye Disease and Visual Impairment in the Nursing Home Population Using Mobile Health Technology.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the burden of eye disease and the utility of teleophthalmology in nursing home patients, a population with ophthalmic needs not commensurate with care received.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Informed consent was obtained from 78 California Bay Area skilled nursing facility patients. Near visual acuity (VA) and anterior/posterior segment photographs were taken with a smartphone-based VA app and ophthalmic camera system. The Nursing Home Vision-Targeted Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaire was also administered. Risk factors for visual impairment were assessed. Institutional review board approval was obtained from Stanford University.

RESULTS

Cataracts (51%), diabetic retinopathy (DR) (12%), optic neuropathy (12%), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (10%) were common findings; 11.7% had other referral-warranted findings. AMD and DR correlated with a higher risk of poor VA, with adjusted odds ratios of 22 (P = .01) and 43 (P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated a high prevalence of poor VA and ophthalmic disease in the nursing home population impacting quality of life. Smartphone-based teleophthalmology platforms have the potential to increase access to eye care for nursing home patients. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:262-270.].