Dr. William Boothe Comments on Use of Smartphones to Diagnosis Eye Conditions

NEW YORK, NY, July 27, 2012 (Press-News.org) Dr. William Boothe, a noted cornea specialist, knows how difficult diagnosing eye problems can be, as every patient can present a unique set of problems that need to be corrected. While he is trained to easily determine the source of vision or eye health problems, he explains that it is not always as simple for physicians in other fields, especially those acting in emergency situations. A recent article from Reuters Health discusses such difficulties and how triage doctors are now using advanced smartphone technology to obtain a quick diagnosis of eye complications in emergency circumstances.

Although many medical professionals may doubt the quality of images and information displayed by smartphones, the article reveals that ophthalmologists are now confirming "higher quality ratings [of] inner-eye photos when they looked at the images on an iPhone as compared to a desktop computer." Dr. Rohit Krishna, an ophthalmologist from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, explains how such technology can be used in a hospital scenario. "Smartphones could be used to take and send pictures of damage to the eyelid or the front of the eye. When it comes to complicated, inner-eye photos, using a more advanced camera to take a photo -- and then sending it to an ophthalmologist via smartphone for diagnosis -- is also a good option."

When asked if he would use consider using the new technology, Dr. William Boothe stated, "It would really depend on the situation. Of course there is no harm in asking for an expert opinion on eye health, especially if an ophthalmologist is not available at a hospital. However, until doctors are confident that an accurate diagnosis can be made, they should proceed with caution when using the new technology." He adds that the development hints at a wider connection of medical professionals; while smartphone diagnostic practices may be in their infancy, current

practices reveal that different types of physicians are open to discussing procedures with others that are at a distance.

"It should be the goal of medical professionals to pursue new technologies that allow for better health in patients and response time when determining their treatment plan," says Boothe. However, he cautions that if there is an advanced, emergency eye problem, ophthalmologists will still be required to perform in-person procedures. He concludes by connecting the development to his own experience with changing technology, "When LASIK surgery was first introduced many professionals and patients were reluctant to embrace it. However, over time it has proven itself and shown that pioneering technology can advance if the professional community embraces it."

ABOUT:

Dr. William Boothe is a cornea specialist who has performed over 130,000 LASIK laser procedures For many years Dr. William Boothe has done more intralasik than anyone in the world. He has shared his expertise teaching other surgeons his techniques. He has memberships in numerous professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Texas Ophthalmologic Association, International Society of Refractive Surgery, and more.

Website: www.drboothe.com/