Posters

Robotic remote controllable 3D stereoscopic slit lamp

Poster Details

First Author: C. Rowaan USA

Co Author(s): J. Parel   A. Gonzalez   M. Aguilar   J. Silgado   M. Taneja   M. Ten Hove     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

As the world’s population ages, there will be more cataract surgeries performed each year and the workload of ophthalmologists will overextend their resources. There exists a need for a comprehensive care network to offload the demand placed directly on physicians; one such strategy would be to increase the physicians’ accessibility to manage patients through telemedicine. A robotized, ophthalmic imaging system capable of obtaining stereoscopic images of patient's eye and transmitting the images in real-time to a mobile device could revolutionize the way that ophthalmologists practice medicine. This technology would especially benefit in remote rural areas and undeserved patient populations.

Setting:

Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

Methods:

The base of the slit-lamp is a Haag-Streit design. All the manual functions of the slit-lamp are motorized. The slit-lamp is equipped with two high resolution cameras for 3D Stereoscopic vision in combination with prism glasses. In addition there is an overhead camera to see if the patient is in the proper position. The built-in audio system makes it possible to speak with the patient real-time. To operate the Robotic Remote Controllable 3D Stereoscopic Slit-lamp needs an AC power source and a LAN connection as well as the operator needs a computer-mobile device with internet connection.

Results:

Tests of the high resolution 3D video, audio and all the slit lamp controls show a reliable and accurate tridimensional examination of the anterior segment of the eye can be done in patients with visual problems in rural areas. Three remote slit lamps are in use in India. These instruments are controlled from LVPEI in Hyderabad. The slit lamps are located in remote areas hundreds of kilometers away from Hyderabad, with plans for seven more to be installed. In addition latency testing has been conducted with the robotized slit lamp from locations such as Miami USA and Bedum, The Netherlands.

Conclusions:

The robotized slit-lamp is a very useful addition to a growing popularity in telemedicine. In many remote places in the world with poor infrastructure and ageing population this is a potential solution to improve eye care.

Financial Disclosure:

None