Emmanuel Eric Pazo

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Assessing the Impact of AI-Assisted Portable Slit Lamps on Rural Primary Ophthalmic Medical Service

Sile Yu, Chunhong Yan, Guanghao Qin, Emmanuel Eric Pazo, Xiangdong He, Xiangdong He, Peng Qi, Mingze Li, Dongming Han, Wei He, Xingru He, Xingru He

Current Eye Research, 2025 · article · doi:10.1080/02713683.2025.2458131 · cited by 3

Cataract & anterior segment surgery

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of an AI-assisted portable slit lamp (iSpector) and basic ophthalmology training on cataract detection, referral, and surgery rate in rural areas. METHODS: This randomized control trial randomly assigned 63 village doctors to either the AI-assisted group (providing iSpector and training) or the control group (providing training). Doctors were followed for 1 year before intervention as a baseline and 1 year after to make the comparison. Multivariable Poisson regression was applied to compare the difference in cataract detection, referral, and surgery rate between the two groups, adjusted for primary doctors' baseline characteristics. We further conducted subgroup analysis to estimate the change after the intervention. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the detection, referral, and surgery rate of cataracts among the AI-assisted group was comparable, 1.7 times higher, and 4.9 times higher, respectively. Providing iSpector and training increased the detection, referral, and surgery rate of cataracts. However, only based on training to elevate the detection rate of cataracts did not change the referral and surgery rate. CONCLUSIONS: iSpector helps village doctors detect and refer cataract patients appropriately, thus increasing the probability that patients receive cataract surgery.

Keywords: cataract detection; cataract surgery; village doctors; ophthalmology education; resource-limited settings; telemedicine

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How to cite

Yu, S., Yan, C., Qin, G., Pazo, E. E., He, X., He, X., Qi, P., Li, M., Han, D., He, W., He, X., He, X. (2025). Assessing the Impact of AI-Assisted Portable Slit Lamps on Rural Primary Ophthalmic Medical Service. Current Eye Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/02713683.2025.2458131

@article{yu2025assessing,
  title = {{Assessing the Impact of AI-Assisted Portable Slit Lamps on Rural Primary Ophthalmic Medical Service}},
  author = {Yu, Sile and Yan, Chunhong and Qin, Guanghao and Pazo, Emmanuel Eric and He, Xiangdong and He, Xiangdong and Qi, Peng and Li, Mingze and Han, Dongming and He, Wei and He, Xingru and He, Xingru},
  journal = {Current Eye Research},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1080/02713683.2025.2458131},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/02713683.2025.2458131},
}

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