Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the usability of the MeyeSight app, an interactive smartphone application to screen for defects of visual acuity, contrast vision, and the central visual field in healthy controls and visually impaired patients.
Methods :
MeyeSight was piloted on visually impaired patients and healthy controls through convenience sampling. After their participation, subjects were engaged in semi-structured qualitative interviews to better understand their reactions and experience to the application.
Results :
46 visually impaired patients and 19 healthy controls participated. To avoid confusion with clinical visual acuity measurements, results were coded from A to Z in steps of 0.1 logMAR. In patients, median visual acuity score under high contrast was K (range E through Q) and under low contrast was M (range G through S), a 2-line difference. Healthy controls scored better with median visual acuity score under high contrast a C (range B to E) and under low contrast a D (range B to F), a 1-line difference. Median visual search time was 104.5 seconds (range 11-294) in the visually impaired, six times longer than the 17.3 seconds (range 9-33) in healthy controls. The majority of subjects (87% patients, 100% controls) found the application easy to use, and all (100%) would use the application at home and recommend it to friends and family.
Conclusions :
MeyeSight is an easy-to-use smartphone application that can help the visually impaired, those at risk for eye disorders, or even healthy individuals monitor visual changes by measuring visual acuity, contrast vision, and visual fields.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.