Have you even taken your vision for granted?
For millions living in developing countries an eye exams and contacts or glasses are considered a luxury, which is why researchers at EyeNetra, a MIT spinoff company, are developing a device which in essence turns everyday cell phones into a mobile eye exam machine.
“Our goal, really, is to empower millions and millions around the world by bringing eye care to people’s homes in a way that was never possible before,” says David Schafran of EyeNetra.
To that end, they’ve developed a $2 scope which can be clipped onto a smart phone. The patient looks through the eyepiece and follows the colored lines which appear on the screen. A software application (or app) is installed on the phone which enables the phone to translate the patient’s responses into a measurement of “refractive error,” which optometrists can use to create a pair of glasses.
The setup consists of three parts: a smart phone, a hardware app and a software app. Snap the Netra-G adapter onto a smartphone loaded with Netra-G software, follow the simple instructions, and quickly receive the measurements for your eyeglasses on the phone. NETRA-G measures nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. It fits snugly in a pocket and requires minimal training to operate. – Netra-G Product Specifications
In developing countries where vision care access is limited, cell phone technology may start to bridge the gap to healthy vision. “[The phone] is projecting the images, and it’s also doing the calculations — that’s where all the smarts are.” Schafran says.
Many are skeptic about how accurate the results could be from a device such as this. A comprehensive eye exam generally begins with an automated reading after which your eye doctor will take a manual reading using an Phoropter and Auto-Refractor, and asking “Which lens allows you to see better: #1 or #2?”.
Irvine Optometrist Dr. Richard Sarlitt feels that although this device might be okay for someone in a developing country who does not have access to an eye doctor for a complete exam, this is not recommended for the majority of people. Many individuals require prism and other optical considerations, which this device would not be able to measure. Additionally, a prescription for glasses must come from a licensed eye doctor in the United States, so glasses could not legally be made in the USA for a prescription recommended by the Netra-G device. In addition, the refraction is only a small part of a complete eye exam. The eye health exam administered by a qualified eye doctor is sometimes even more important, especially if an individual has glaucoma, cataracts, high blood pressure or diabetes.
While admirable and technologically impressive, the device is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam which checks for potentially blinding diseases, like glaucoma and macular degeneration (MDA).
