{"id":352,"date":"2016-05-16T02:45:20","date_gmt":"2016-05-16T02:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/?p=352"},"modified":"2016-05-16T02:45:20","modified_gmt":"2016-05-16T02:45:20","slug":"using-everyday-tech-this-doctor-gets-innovative-when-treating-eye-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/?p=352","title":{"rendered":"Using everyday tech, this doctor gets innovative when treating eye problems"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-responsive\" src=\"http:\/\/www.star2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/sfit_rmeyephone_rm_6-770x470.jpg\" alt=\"Using everyday tech, this doctor gets innovative when treating eye problems\" width=\"770\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<header>\n<h1>Using everyday tech, this doctor gets innovative when treating eye problems<\/h1>\n<p class=\"post-meta clearfix\"><span class=\"fa-calendar\">May 15, 2016<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-meta clearfix\">By REVATHI MURUGAPPAN<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<aside class=\"related-box hidden-xs pull-left\"><\/aside>\n<p>As an ophthalmologist, Dr Chan Jan Bond loves experimenting with various features\u2026 not of the eye, but on his smartphone.<\/p>\n<p>The specialist has been creating ripples with his numerous innovations in telemedicine, using smartphone technology.<\/p>\n<p>It all started when he was pursuing his masters in 2011 whilst attached to Hospital Selayang in Selangor and Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia in Kelantan, and had to examine patients in rural areas.<\/p>\n<p>Often, the environment was noisy, and patients, illiterate. The instruments used at the hospitals were also old, and images were not of the highest quality.<\/p>\n<p>Usually, an optometrist or ophthalmologist will take pictures of the eye\u2019s anterior (front) segment using a simple point-and-shoot camera that focuses through a slit lamp eyepiece.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_213711\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-213711\" src=\"http:\/\/www1.star2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/sfit_rmeyephone_rm_2.jpg\" alt=\"Dr Chan Jan Bond has won many awards for his innovations using a smartphone. \" width=\"300\" height=\"470\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr Chan Jan Bond has won many awards for his innovations using a smartphone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Dr Chan, 35, has innovated this technology by developing a slit lamp camera adaptor that will plug in directly over the eyepiece of a slit lamp. This innovation allows doctors to take videos, which are useful for fundus (the posterior part of the eye) photography.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis adaptor is important because not every hospital or clinic has a slit lamp with camera. In these hospitals, the slit lamp is unable to take pictures. With this new innovation, any slit lamp can be converted to a full-functional anterior segment camera,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>If the doctor doesn\u2019t have a camera, he or she can also use a smartphone, attach a slit lamp to it and take the picture.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPictures are important for ophthalmologists to refer cases to other hospitals, to monitor the progression of a disease, documentation and for medico-legal purposes. The smartphone camera is good because it is cost-efficient, portable and very handy, compared to conventional cameras.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny high quality phone camera can do this,\u201d shares Dr Chan.<\/p>\n<p>His second innovation is smartphone videography, a further modification of his first effort. \u201cMost of the surgery-recording systems in general hospitals are too old, non-functioning or non-existent. I wanted to improve the methods available and took a month to come up with the first prototype.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With the help of the EZcast\/AppleTV, the video is wirelessly transferred to an LED te- levision, making this a wireless smartphone video surgery system.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_213713\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-213713\" src=\"http:\/\/www1.star2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/sfit_rmeyephone_rm_5.jpg\" alt=\"Smartphones have become indispensable to the medical fraternity.\" width=\"400\" height=\"601\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Smartphones have become indispensable to the medical fraternity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt is an alternative to the conventional video recording system in the operating theatre. I have also modified it so that it can be used for any type of surgery, including those using microscope or non-microscope (i.e. open surgery, such as open laparotomy, any orthopaedic surgery, ENT surgery, etc),\u201d he elaborates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis system is versatile and even easier to use, as the retrieval system of the video is easier compared to the conventional one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Videos are an essential component of any surgery, especially for learning purposes \u2013 though not everyone records it.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Chan explains, \u201cIf anything should go wrong, we want to view back the recording and identify the root cause and areas for improvement. This also comes in handy in the training of junior doctors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe videos are not for public viewing unless it is questioned. Prior to every recording, we obtain the patient\u2019s consent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For his slit lamp adaptor effort, Dr Chan won the best innovation award by the Health Ministry in 2012.<\/p>\n<p>For his sophomore effort, it clinched him best oral presentation at the Asia Pacific Association of Cataract Refractive Surgery 2015.<\/p>\n<p>Thrilled, the self-confessed techie continues to modify and innovate existing gadgets for the betterment of the medical industry.<\/p>\n<p>Next, Dr Chan created free phone apps. Instead of using the traditional Snellen chart to test visual acuity, he designed the Rapid Eye Screening Test (REST) app, which is freely available for download from Google Playstore and Apple Appstore.<\/p>\n<p>He says, \u201cVision screening is very important and there are various smartphone apps available in the Google Playstore and Apple Appstore. However, most of the apps are non-standardised in measurement, rendering it inaccurate. I have designed this app for fast screening while still retaining its accuracy. It can be used by doctors, parents or teachers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_213710\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-213710\" src=\"http:\/\/www1.star2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/sfit_rmeyephone_rm_1.jpg\" alt=\"Surgeries are recorded more clearly (Video A) using smartphone videography.\" width=\"500\" height=\"304\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Surgeries are recorded more clearly (Video A) using smartphone videography.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIf I\u2019m in a ward and the space is confined, it\u2019s easier to use REST. It is unique because it can be calibrated to match standard charts. It\u2019s fun and relatively easy to use. It will show when the sign is read wrongly. All I\u2019m doing is reading you and swiping the way you\u2019re pointing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another app of Dr Chan\u2019s is the Cataract Screening app, which is still in its conceptual stage, but progressing well. With the camera and flash from a standard smartphone, it creates a red reflex, which helps to classify if the patient has a cataract and grades its severity.<\/p>\n<p>Initially, he started distributing these innovations to friends, and as word spread, a number of local hospitals contacted him to use his technology in their surgeries.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Dr Chan gets tons of enquiries from around the world.<\/p>\n<p>He says, \u201cIt takes a lot of time to do these things, but I enjoy it. It is my passion and I want to share my ideas to promote this new era of technology as a substitute for the conventional recording system worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis system is unique as it can be used for recording microscope or non-microscope surgeries in rural hospitals with limited resources, or even in a clinic setting. All the gadgets are portable and data can be backed up immediately.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not seeking publicity or money, or selling any products. I just want to share my ideas globally so that others will be able to benefit from it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Using everyday tech, this doctor gets innovative when treating eye problems May 15, 2016 By REVATHI MURUGAPPAN As an ophthalmologist, Dr Chan Jan Bond loves experimenting with various features\u2026 not of the eye, but on his smartphone. The specialist has been creating ripples with his numerous innovations in telemedicine, using smartphone technology. It all&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-event","category-1","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=352"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":353,"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352\/revisions\/353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nqresources.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}