Abstract
Purpose :
Over 50% of individuals with Vision Threatening Diseases (VTD) such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma may not be aware they have a single or multiple potentially blinding disease(s). Mobile remote ophthalmology clinics have emerged as a promising solution to offer comprehensive ophthalmic screenings away from mainstream brick and mortar clinics. VTD detection includes visual acuity, non-contact intraocular puff tonometry, auto-refraction, retinal imaging and ocular coherence tomography (OCT), as well use of a laptop computer.
Methods :
A BALDRTM (NJ, USA) electricity power meter was used to determine the wattage requirements used in a traditional clinical setting for VTD screening for seven consecutive hours. We matched the energy use to a BluettiTM AC200MAX (Guangdon, China) 2,048 watt-hour solar powered generator with an integrated lithium LiFePO4 battery, a 120 volt 2200 watt inverter and a battery management system (BMS) to power a mobile clinic for up to 60 individuals over a 7-hour period. Two 160-watt solar panels were used during the day to supplement the solar generator.
Results :
The BALDRTM power usage meter showed an energy usage of 78.8 watt (120 volt) for all VTD testing including 163 OCT B-scans, non-contact intraocular puff tonometry, and auto refraction. All individuals received at least one OCT 3D macula scan of each eye. Ten individuals (21.28%) received additional 3D disc scans when intraocular pressures were above 21mmHg, and three individuals (6.38%) had an anterior segment scan to rule-out angle closure glaucoma. In total, 163 scans (39 watt) were taken, with an average of 0.238 watts per scan for both color retinal imaging and OCT-B scans.
Conclusions :
These preliminary results demonstrate the potential for solar-powered mobile/remote ophthalmology clinics to operate off-grid. The adoption of solar energy reduces operational hazards from gasoline generators and associated carbon monoxide and flammable liquids while minimizing environmental noise impact, establishing it as a sustainable and economically sound choice for long-term remote eye care initiatives. Our initial pilot warrants further investigation of these technologies in tele-ophthalmology and solar power generators.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.