PURPOSE

To evaluate the diagnostic capability of a smartphone handset compared with a standard office computer workstation for teleophthalmology fundus photo assessments of diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

Eligible, consenting participants' fundus images were acquired using a non-mydriatic camera. These images along with other medical data were transmitted 20 miles away through the Internet (gold standard) and also through an iPhone(®) (Apple, Cupertino, CA) to two ophthalmologists, who independently compared the images.

RESULTS

The κ coefficient between the gold standard workstation display and iPhone images to detect retinopathy-related changes for both readers was more than 0.9. The image quality of the iPhone was scored high by the ophthalmologists.

CONCLUSIONS

Ophthalmic images transmitted through both smartphone and Internet techniques match well with each other. Despite current limitations, smartphones could represent as a tool for fundus photo assessments of diabetic retinopathy. Further studies are needed to investigate the economic and clinical feasibility of smartphones in ophthalmology.