Uncorrected poor vision affects 1 in 3 people around the world. Ninety percent of these people live in Base of Pyramid (BoP) communities where there is limited access to vision care, low awareness of the importance of eye health and a lack of trained optometry professionals available to provide vision care.

Tele-refraction offers us the opportunity to bridge these gaps, allowing urban-based optometrists to extend their expertise to rural and remote areas, providing verified vision care services without the need for beneficiaries to travel far for in-person visits. This not only brings vital eye care services to those in need but also reduces the financial burden on individuals and healthcare systems.

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In partnership with Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, we published a groundbreaking clinical study confirming the potential of tele-refraction to enhance access to vision care for underserved populations living in BoP communities.

The peer-reviewed research, published in PLOS ONE, demonstrates that tele-refraction conforms to the gold-standard of accuracy for traditional face-to-face eye exams.

Outcomes from the study include:

A mean difference of only 0.11 diopters in spherical equivalent between tele-refraction and traditional in-person refraction, indicating a high level of accuracy with 85% conformity
A closer conformity with face-to-face refraction method when compared to the objective method (14.8% improvement) thus showcasing the effectiveness of tele refraction

Approved by the Institutional Review Board and adhering to the rigorous ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki, the study underscores the reliability and potential of tele-refraction technology in expanding access to high-quality vision care to underserved populations globally.

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Anurag Hans, Head of the Mission at EssilorLuxottica and President of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, emphasized the transformative potential of tele-refraction: "Our tele-refraction platform is a pivotal step in breaking down barriers and setting new standards of care in base of pyramid communities. By bringing refraction services to rural areas and equipping primary vision care technicians with the necessary tools, we are not only making quality vision care accessible and affordable for all but also creating opportunities for constant innovation and improvement in the field.

Through integrated partnerships with like-minded organisations, optometry associations and industry leaders, we move the needle everyday in our efforts to transform lives globally and continually push the boundaries of what’s possible in vision care."

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“This research is pioneering in its demonstration of tele-refraction's accuracy and scalability. Never before has such a comprehensive study confirmed that remote optometrist guidance can so closely match traditional in-person refraction. This technology is scalable and can bring high-quality eye care to underserved communities worldwide,” added Dr Shalinder Sabherwal, Head of Community Ophthalmology and Associate Medical Director, Dr Shroff Charity Eye Hospital.

Since the completion of the clinical study, the tele-refraction model has been successfully integrated into programs in India, and has already been adopted by government authorities and long-standing partners in Kenya. This includes the Kenyan Government, Kenya Society for the Blind and the Christian Blind Mission.

For more information, read the clinical study here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0299491

[PLOS ONE CLINICAL STUDY] Tele-refraction as a Tool to Rapidly Expand Vision Care to Underserved Communities

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