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Expectation of tele-ophthalmology in remote areas including islands

Eye (2024)Cite this article

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We read with great interest the Joseph study that reported an acceptable model of tele-ophthalmology for major eye diseases among rural people, in comparison to in-person examinations by a specialist ophthalmologist [1]. As stated by Joseph [1], although tele-ophthalmology has been suggested as a new and good solution for delivering eye care in rural and remote areas, the suggestion is based on prior studies on special eye diseases (i.e., retinopathy, glaucoma) [2]; thus, the findings shown by the Joseph study focusing on practice in relation to comprehensive eye diseases and not special eye diseases [1], which resembles real-world practice, would be valuable for advancing ophthalmologic practice because people with various eye diseases visit clinics in remote areas including islands. This author would like to comment on future expectations.

When the authors recently surveyed the actual states of occasional in-person dispatches of specialists from the mainland among public clinics of Japan’s islands, ophthalmologists ranked in the top three, along with internists and orthopedicians. Although this seems to reflect the need to secure ophthalmologic practice in such islands, the islands have remote issues, such as stormy weather [3], which can disturb the in-person dispatches of specialists; thus, the development of tele-ophthalmology is required.

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References

  1. Joseph S, Rajendran VK, Khetwani D, Uduman MS, Ramasamy D, Gowth AM, et al. Evaluation of a telemedicine-enabled universal eye health delivery model in rural southern India. Eye (Lond). 2023 (online ahead of print). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02871-8.

  2. Sreelatha OK, Ramesh SV. Teleophthalmology: improving patient outcomes?. Clin Ophthalmol. 2016;10:285–95. https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S80487.

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Funding

This study was partly supported by a Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare Science Research Grant (22CA2013, 21IA2004).

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  1. Division of Community and Family Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke-City, Japan

    Kazuhiko Kotani

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  1. Kazuhiko Kotani
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KK designed and wrote the paper, as well as approved the finalized paper.

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Correspondence to Kazuhiko Kotani.

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Kotani, K. Expectation of tele-ophthalmology in remote areas including islands. Eye (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-02997-3

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