Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the Amazon
Introduction: Pterygium represents a significant cause of visual impairment and blindness in the Amazon and surgery is the only definitive treatment available. The cost of surgery and the need for prolonged postoperative follow-up have proved to be an obstacle to its management. The aim of this pros...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | The Pan-American Journal of Ophthalmology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.thepajo.org/article.asp?issn=2666-4909;year=2022;volume=4;issue=1;spage=43;epage=43;aulast=Larivoir |
| _version_ | 1797991282800328704 |
|---|---|
| author | Nicole Bragantini Larivoir Luis Marcelo A Camargo Barbara N P Clemente Renata C Bertazzi Amanda M De Domenico Juliana S A A Camargo Heloisa Nascimento Eric P De Andrade Jose Alvaro Pereira Gomes Solange Rios Salomao Rubens Belfort Jr. |
| author_facet | Nicole Bragantini Larivoir Luis Marcelo A Camargo Barbara N P Clemente Renata C Bertazzi Amanda M De Domenico Juliana S A A Camargo Heloisa Nascimento Eric P De Andrade Jose Alvaro Pereira Gomes Solange Rios Salomao Rubens Belfort Jr. |
| author_sort | Nicole Bragantini Larivoir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Pterygium represents a significant cause of visual impairment and blindness in the Amazon and surgery is the only definitive treatment available. The cost of surgery and the need for prolonged postoperative follow-up have proved to be an obstacle to its management. The aim of this prospective study carried out in the southern region of the Amazon was to evaluate telemedicine in the pterygium surgery follow-up to help make pterygium surgery postoperative care feasible in places without ophthalmologic assistance.
Materials and Methods: Postoperative follow-up care was done through teleconsultation. It involved capturing photographs from the corneal and conjunctiva by trained technicians and sending them to a reading center for an ophthalmologist's assessment based on an asynchronous (store-and-forward) model. Patients and ophthalmologists were inquired about their satisfaction regarding the postoperative follow-up.
Results: All pictures were classified as adequate, allowing proper assessments of results and complications. It was possible to manage the postoperative and conclude there were no postoperative surgical complications during the 6-month follow-up. All patients reported satisfaction with the remote performed evaluation and considered that all their doubts and expectations were met.
Conclusion: Teleophthalmology allows remote access and can significantly improve eye care quality, access, and affordability. It may represent an alternative to providing pterygium surgery postoperative monitoring in areas without the availability of an ophthalmologist, making it possible to combat one of the leading causes of reversible blindness in the equatorial region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:49:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72dcfb574c4b464baa48c8664491dd1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-4909 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:49:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Pan-American Journal of Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj.art-72dcfb574c4b464baa48c8664491dd1b2022-12-22T04:33:42ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsThe Pan-American Journal of Ophthalmology2666-49092022-01-0141434310.4103/pajo.pajo_39_22Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the AmazonNicole Bragantini LarivoirLuis Marcelo A CamargoBarbara N P ClementeRenata C BertazziAmanda M De DomenicoJuliana S A A CamargoHeloisa NascimentoEric P De AndradeJose Alvaro Pereira GomesSolange Rios SalomaoRubens Belfort Jr.Introduction: Pterygium represents a significant cause of visual impairment and blindness in the Amazon and surgery is the only definitive treatment available. The cost of surgery and the need for prolonged postoperative follow-up have proved to be an obstacle to its management. The aim of this prospective study carried out in the southern region of the Amazon was to evaluate telemedicine in the pterygium surgery follow-up to help make pterygium surgery postoperative care feasible in places without ophthalmologic assistance. Materials and Methods: Postoperative follow-up care was done through teleconsultation. It involved capturing photographs from the corneal and conjunctiva by trained technicians and sending them to a reading center for an ophthalmologist's assessment based on an asynchronous (store-and-forward) model. Patients and ophthalmologists were inquired about their satisfaction regarding the postoperative follow-up. Results: All pictures were classified as adequate, allowing proper assessments of results and complications. It was possible to manage the postoperative and conclude there were no postoperative surgical complications during the 6-month follow-up. All patients reported satisfaction with the remote performed evaluation and considered that all their doubts and expectations were met. Conclusion: Teleophthalmology allows remote access and can significantly improve eye care quality, access, and affordability. It may represent an alternative to providing pterygium surgery postoperative monitoring in areas without the availability of an ophthalmologist, making it possible to combat one of the leading causes of reversible blindness in the equatorial region.http://www.thepajo.org/article.asp?issn=2666-4909;year=2022;volume=4;issue=1;spage=43;epage=43;aulast=Larivoirblindnessprimary eye carepterygiumteleophthalmologyvisual impairment |
| spellingShingle | Nicole Bragantini Larivoir Luis Marcelo A Camargo Barbara N P Clemente Renata C Bertazzi Amanda M De Domenico Juliana S A A Camargo Heloisa Nascimento Eric P De Andrade Jose Alvaro Pereira Gomes Solange Rios Salomao Rubens Belfort Jr. Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the Amazon The Pan-American Journal of Ophthalmology blindness primary eye care pterygium teleophthalmology visual impairment |
| title | Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the Amazon |
| title_full | Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the Amazon |
| title_fullStr | Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the Amazon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the Amazon |
| title_short | Teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the Amazon |
| title_sort | teleophthalmology postoperative evaluation of patients following pterygium surgery in the amazon |
| topic | blindness primary eye care pterygium teleophthalmology visual impairment |
| url | http://www.thepajo.org/article.asp?issn=2666-4909;year=2022;volume=4;issue=1;spage=43;epage=43;aulast=Larivoir |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicolebragantinilarivoir teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT luismarceloacamargo teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT barbaranpclemente teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT renatacbertazzi teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT amandamdedomenico teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT julianasaacamargo teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT heloisanascimento teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT ericpdeandrade teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT josealvaropereiragomes teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT solangeriossalomao teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon AT rubensbelfortjr teleophthalmologypostoperativeevaluationofpatientsfollowingpterygiumsurgeryintheamazon |