The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an app to help people check their eyesight to mark World Sight Day, 12 October. WHOeyes checks near and distance visual acuity for anyone over eight years old.
Dr Bente Mikkelsen, WHO director for noncommunicable diseases, said: “The app can help people quickly and easily identify potential vision issues that merit further checking by a qualified professional.
“We decided to share this simple eye test and quick tips for eye care on an app, as people use their phones daily, and many people are unaware that they have a vision problem until it is too late.”
The software echoes the way an eyecare professional would assess visual acuity using a conventional chart in a clinical setting. The WHO stresses that the app is no substitute for a regular eye test but it can help identify potential vision problems and prompt a visit to an optometrist.
WHOeyes was developed with the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), a WHO collaborating centre. Accuracy and usability were tested in three separate research studies.
It is available for free via Google Play or Apple Store in all six UN official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
The WHO says at least 1bn cases of near or distance vision impairment can be easily addressed or could have been prevented with spectacles or cataract surgery. Impaired vision costs an estimated $411bn in lost workplace productivity.
Topic: Optical News
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