Camera detects early signs of blindness

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The redeye that is often seen in photos could be an indication that one’s vision is actually quite healthy and in fact, doctors are using this to detect childhood blindness at the earliest stage. The Narayana Nethralaya conducted a pilot study on the said technique and called it the Photo Redeye Diagnosis. According to doctors, this technique could help in the prevention of blindness to a great extent. Speaking at a press conference held to launch the ‘Find the Blind’ programme, chairman of Narayana Nethralaya Dr K. Bhujang Shetty, said, “Red-reflex screening is an effective way to detect serious childhood eye disorders such as cataracts, corneal opacities, retinal problems and even eye cancer. In the method we use at present, the doctor screens a baby using an instrument called an ophthalmoscope. This method requires expertise and the use of special medical equipment that is available to only a few medical professionals.
“Therefore, Narayana Nethralaya is looking at the possibility of giving the common man a chance to screen his children using a proper compact digital camera.


“When a camera with a flash is used to take a photograph in a darkened room, at a distance of at least four metres from the child and with the anti-red eye feature of the camera turned off, it can be used to record the normal red-eye in the eyes of the child, especially when the camera is set on maximum zoom to focus only on the eyes.


“The most reproducible and reliable reflexes are obtained when the child is able to face the camera and focus on the camera. If the photograph displays an absence of a reflection, or a ‘white reflex’ instead of a ‘red-reflex’, it could indicate a significant eye problem.”


Meanwhile, Dr Ashwin Mallipatna from the Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus department at the Narayana Nethralaya, said, “The Photo Redeye Diagnosis should not be used as a final diagnosis but only as an indication that the child needs a check up with an eye specialist.”


The Photo Redeye Diagnosis should ideally be conducted when a child is between three-months to five-years.








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