Telemedicine for retinal care in developing nations: the ORBIS Cyber-Sight programme, 2003–2011

Abstract

ORBIS International has provided a web-based ophthalmic disease consultation service, Cyber-Sight, for developing nations since 2003. The system connects partner physicians with mentor physicians. We have reviewed consultations concerning retinal cases submitted from June 2003 to December 2011. Of 943 retinal consultations reviewed, 117 were excluded, mainly for reasons of technical limitations at the partner sites. Of the 826 included cases, 504 patients were male and 322 were female. The average age of the patients was 43 years (range 2 months to 86 years). Cases were submitted from partner physicians in 30 countries, with five countries accounting for 82% of the cases (India, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Jordan). There was a rise in the case submission rate to a peak of 251 cases in 2010. The mean consultant response time was 5 days (SD 9). The mean time to case closure was 19 days (SD 92). The most common diagnoses were diabetic retinopathy (n = 101), retinal vascular occlusion (n = 75) and retinal detachment (n = 61). The working diagnosis submitted by the partner did not match the mentor's diagnosis in 153 cases (19%). The number of incorrect initial partner diagnoses demonstrates that the teleretinal programme serves a useful diagnostic role for partner physicians. The Cyber-Sight programme is a viable method of delivering advanced retinal expertise to partner institutions and increasing capacity for partner doctors in the developing world.

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