Smartphone eye checks for trachoma and vision in communities
Integrating smartphone photography for trachoma, smartphone visual acuity assessment, and mobile autorefraction to enhance community-based public health monitoring
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · NIH-11472173
This project builds smartphone tools so community health workers can take eye photos, check children's vision, and measure refraction to improve trachoma and vision screening in remote communities.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11472173 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
I live in a community where trachoma screening is hard to do. The team is creating smartphone camera modules, a visual acuity test, and a mobile autorefraction tool that link into the WHO's Tropical Data platform. Local health workers will use these tools to photograph children's eyelids, record vision and refractive measurements, and send images and data for remote expert review. The hardware and software will be refined and piloted in remote community-based settings in Peru to see how they work in real surveys.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are children and community members in remote or formerly endemic areas where trachoma surveillance and basic vision screening are needed.
Not a fit: People who need specialized ophthalmic care (for example advanced glaucoma, retinal disease, or surgical treatment) or who live outside the targeted surveillance areas are unlikely to benefit directly from these screening tools.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed up and broaden access to trachoma detection and basic vision screening without needing many locally certified graders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior pilot projects using smartphone photography and telemedicine for eye disease have shown promise, but combining visual acuity, autorefraction, and direct integration with the WHO Tropical Data platform is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO — SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KEENAN, JEREMY DAVID — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- Study coordinator: KEENAN, JEREMY DAVID
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.