iPhone App Allows Patients to Self-Monitor Progress of Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy
August 4, 2011
Many patients do not have eye tests in a timely fashion to help track degeneration in their eyesight due to age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. In addition, the 1940’s eye test still used in the doctor’s office often does not detect the incremental changes in vision that can occur with these conditions.
A clever solution has been developed in the form of iphone app myVisionTrack, which is twice as sensitive as the old eye chart, gives results in less than 90 seconds, and can be done at any time on the iPhone.
The test uses a “shape discrimination” exercise, where three circles are shown on the screen. Patients cover one eye and touch the circle they perceive to be oddly shaped. This brings up 3 more circles with more subtle differences, and so on. The exercise is then repeated with the other eye. The app stores the results each time, and if there is a significant change in vision over time, the patient gets a message to see the doctor.
myVisionTrack was produced by Vital Art and Science Inc., a Richardson, Texas-based biotech firm that is the brain-child of professors at UT Southwestern, UT Dallas and current and former employees of Texas Instruments.
To read a press release on myVisionTrack, click here.
Risa Schulman, PhD
Expert, Healthy Food and Dietary Supplement Science, Marketing and Regulatory
Tap~Root
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5 Responses to “iPhone App Allows Patients to Self-Monitor Progress of Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy”
Nancy – hi, here is the URL for their website: http://myvisiontrack.com/
So how do you get this app? I searched for MyVisionTrack as stated in the article, and nothing was found.
its not a clinical trial. its an app you can get on your phone.
Would like to know how to get into the clinical trials for this app in the field of macular degeneration. Anyone know how to do that?
This sounds like a good app that makes sense. Unfortunately, no sign of it in the app store at this time so premature report? I would be interested in trying this out when it does become available for my patients.
