London, April 2 (IANS) In a ground-breaking innovation that could help prevent blindness in millions across the world, scientists have developed an app that allows eye tests anywhere.
Aptly named ‘pocket optician’, the app allows a person without any training to carry out eye tests.
All that one needs to do is download the Portable Eye Examination Kit (Peek), developed by scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on your smart phone.
To test the vision, the app shows letters of decreasing size.
It also shines light into the eye and takes pictures of the retina.
The results can then be saved on the phone and emailed to a doctor of your choice who would analyse the findings and offer treatment.
“We think we’ve redefined simplicity with our range of phone and tablet based visual acuity tests,” a spokesman for Peek was quoted as saying.
The app is currently being tested on 5,000 people in Kenya.