Application for Assessment and Prevention of Visual Impairment in the Elderly in Primary Health Care
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48560/rspo.37312Keywords:
Aged, Informatics Applications, Primary Health Care, Vision DisordersAbstract
INTRODUCTION: Visual impairment is a significant public health issue disproportionately affecting the elderly. Early diagnosis and interventions in Primary Health Care (PHC) are crucial to mitigating the impact of vision loss. In Portugal, screening tools tailored to the Portuguese language and elderly needs are limited.METHODS: This methodological study focused on developing the Cataratest, a mobile application for visual impairment screening in the elderly within PHC. The development followed a co-design approach across five phases: scope, shared understanding, brainstorming, refinement, and implementation, involving ophthalmologists and medical students. The app was programmed in Dart, ensuring compatibility with iOS and Android, and was designed to be intuitive and user-friendly.
RESULTS: Cataratest was validated with 50 elderly participants aged 65 to 80 and showed high concordance with clinical assessments by ophthalmologists. The app includes an initial calibration, sections for personal data, medical history, and a visual test, and generates a report that can be sent via e-mail.
CONCLUSION: Cataratest is an effective tool for visual screening, aiding in the early detection and referral of elderly individuals for specialized care, particularly beneficial in resource-limited settings.
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