Evaluation of Nuclear Cataract with Smartphone-Attachable Slit-Lamp Device

• Published in: Diagnostics (Basel) 2020-08, Vol.10 (8), p.576
• Main Authors: Yazu, Hiroyuki, Shimizu, Eisuke, Okuyama, Sho, Katahira, Takuya, Aketa, Naohiko, Yokoiwa, Ryota, Sato, Yasunori, Ogawa, Yoko, Fujishima, Hiroshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cameras; cataract; Cataracts; conventional slit-lamp microscope; Light; Medical equipment; Medical personnel; Ophthalmology; portable; recordable; smart eye camera; Smartphones; Software
• ISSN: 2075-4418; 2075-4418
• DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10080576

Background: Visual impairments and age-related eye diseases need to be detected and treated in a timely manner. However, this is often hampered by lack of appropriate medical equipment. We have invented a portable, recordable, and smartphone-attachable slit-lamp device, called the Smart Eye Camera (SEC). The aim of this study was to compare evaluating nuclear cataract (NUC) between the SEC and the conventional, non-portable slit-lamp microscope. Methods: A total of 128 eyes of 64 Japanese patients (mean age: 73.95 ± 9.28 years; range: 51‒92 years; female: 34) were enrolled. The NUC was classified into four grades (grade 0 to 3) based on three standard photographs of nuclear opacities according to the WHO classification by ophthalmologists. An ophthalmic healthcare assistant (non-ophthalmologist) filmed the eyes in video mode by the SEC and an ophthalmologist graded the NUC. Grade correlation and inter-rater reproducibility were determined. Results: NUC grading by the two approaches correlated significantly (both eyes: r = 0.871 [95%CI: 0.821 to 0.907; p < 0.001]). Inter-rater agreement was high (weighted κ = 0.807 [95%CI: 0.798 to 0.816; p < 0.001]). Conclusions: This study suggests that the SEC is as reliable as the conventional non-portable slit-lamp microscope for evaluating NUC.