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AOA: ‘Virtual’ care no substitute for actual health care
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Online vision testing apps such as Prescription Check and Opternative give patients a false sense of security, according to a statement by the American Optometric Association.
“Through the delivery of personalized health care, doctors of optometry assure precise and healthy vision, identify and treat glaucoma and serious infections, and ensure early diagnosis of immediate threats to overall health, including hypertension, stroke and diabetes, which may have no obvious signs or symptoms,” according to a statement from the American Optometric Association (AOA).
“.. some have used [technology] as a smokescreen to try to mislead the public and undermine very basic quality care standards,” the AOA said. Patients can receive inaccurate or misleading information when relying on an app for an eyeglass or contact lens prescription.
National agencies, including the National Eye Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agree that a comprehensive eye examination is the only way to know whether your eyes and vision are healthy, the AOA continued. Innovators need to focus on delivering tools that help advance patient care, because “virtual” care is no substitute for actual health care.
Source: www.aoa.org