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Strampelli Medal Lecture focuses on digital revolution
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MILAN — Mobile and wearable technologies and their role in the doctor-patient relationship were the topic of this year’s Strampelli Medal Lecture, awarded to Lucio Buratto, MD, during the OSN Italy meeting.
These new technologies have the capability of gathering, tracking and processing information, interacting with the wearer’s body and interweaving with daily life. They are continuously evolving and support a high number of functions.
Lucio Buratto
“There are 165,000 medical apps, and 1,000 are for ophthalmology,” Buratto said.
Besides providing extensive information, some of these apps are a cheap and easy way to perform a number of tasks.
“Not only doctors but also patients can use them for self-testing vision. In addition, there are apps that allow doctors to perform pachymetry, A- and B-scans, IOL power calculation as well as collect and analyze patients’ data,” he said.
In his practice, Buratto has introduced the use of Google Glass as a system for storing, accessing and processing patients’ information.
“The advantage of Google Glass is that you can use it while looking through the slit lamp or the microscope or while visiting the patient. By voice command, you can have access to the information you need while performing other tasks. While you talk or look in the eyes of patients, you can see their data from previous visits, topographic maps, OCT scans,” Buratto said.
Another application he mentioned is the simulation of surgical procedures that can be used by learners.
“The digital revolution is ongoing, rapidly evolving and opening new ways into the future. Our biggest task now is to learn how to exploit the potentials offered by such a big quantity of available information and data for the benefit of our patients,” Buratto said. – by Michela Cimberle
Reference:
Buratto L. Benedetto Strampelli SOI Medal Lecture 2016. Presented at: OSN Italy; May 20-21, 2016; Milan.
Disclosure: Buratto reports he is a consultant for Abbott Medical Optics, Zeiss, Alcon and Technolas.