Abstract
Purpose:
Control of visual acuity in near and far vision, amsler grid, colour testing, stereoscopy and evaluation of binocular functions is under evaluation in an online system since 5 years. The ACTO Online test (engl version available under eyesight-test.org allows patients to assist their monitoring during ophthalmological therapies in diseases ARMD, Cataract surgery and after vitreoretinal surgery.
Methods:
We developed an online test being self explaining by visual and acoustic explanations. All tests were derived from clinical items like Landolt's ring, reading tests with reading speed evaluation and defined stereoscopic and binocular patterns. The calibration is adapted to the specific screens by means of hardware detection and manual calibration by the user. Safety of data is protected by individual passwords and login procedure. Data base of personal and clinical data are stored in separated safety key connected independent databases.
Results:
Out of 3000 users up to Nov. 2013 we had 150 known subjects of defined ophthalmological diagnosis and known clinical data. The online test gave test results regulary for controls for at least 1000 patients that used the system regularly more than 3 times. Single use was the most common item with 1200 users. Follow up of patients is demonstrated in visual-acuity x-y plots of known clinical patterns. The correlationcoefficients (r2) between online selft testing and visual acuity in opthalmological dept. were 0.92 in case of supervised testing 0.97. Similar were the results for colout testing and stereoscopic tests compared to the TNO charts.Reading test was not comparable to simple reading charts due to different approach with identifying faults within a dynamic appearing text.
Conclusions:
Online visual acuity testing and slf testing of visual functions is a typical item being possible with high resolution displays of computers and tablets. Thus we performed a field study to know about the possibilities to apply such testing for our outcoor controls. We are convinced that the future of ophthalmological controls of amelioration or worsening of visual functions can be delivered partially into the hands of the patients. Thus those systems can take the place of watchdogs in survey of patients in postinterventional supervision without direct ophthalmological visits.
Keywords: 754 visual acuity •
468 clinical research methodology •
414 aging: visual performance