Using smartphones to improve eye health monitoring for trachoma in children
Official title: Integrating smartphone photography for trachoma, smartphone visual acuity assessment, and mobile autorefraction to enhance community-based public health monitoring
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-10930147 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new way for community health workers in Peru to use smartphones to take pictures of people's eyes and check their vision, making it easier to spot trachoma and help prevent blindness in their communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $281,550 |
| NIH project number | 5R33EY033690-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10930147 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children under 11 years old living in areas where trachoma is prevalent.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not live in regions affected by trachoma or who are over the age of 11 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing public health monitoring for trachoma, a leading cause of blindness, by integrating smartphone photography and visual acuity assessments into existing health data platforms. The approach allows community health workers with minimal clinical training to conduct eye examinations and capture images for remote diagnosis. By developing user-friendly software and hardware, the project aims to facilitate broader health surveys and better allocate health resources in areas affected by trachoma, particularly in Peru.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and accessible eye health monitoring, ultimately reducing the incidence of blindness caused by trachoma in children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using mobile technology for health monitoring, indicating that this approach has potential for effective implementation.
Where this research is happening
-
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.