Human Factor and Usability Testing of A Binocular OCT System
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Prospective Single-Site Non-Interventional Study to Evaluate Human Factors and Usability of Automated, Comprehensive Ocular Examination in Elderly and Visually Impaired Populations using a Prototype Binocular Optical Coherence Tomography System
IRAS ID
181073
Contact name
David Wilson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Joint Research Office, University College London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 28 days
Research summary
Chronic eye diseases are a major cause of visual impairment and blindness. The need for long-term monitoring of these diseases, with frequent, time-consuming visits to hospital eye clinics, places a huge burden on both patients and the NHS.
Imaging of the eye with optical coherence tomography (OCT) is essential to the management of these diseases. However, current OCT devices have a number of shortcomings, being large and expensive, and requiring skilled personnel to acquire images. These limitations mean that visits to the eye clinic often take many hours.
A new form of OCT device has recently been developed, termed “binocular” OCT, that not only addresses these limitations, but also adds many new and original features. Firstly, these devices are designed so both eyes can be used at once – like a pair of binoculars. This allows patients to acquire the images from their own eyes without any assistance from a medical photographer or nurse. Secondly, the screens of the device can be used to display information to patients. This means that, in addition to acquiring images of the eye, a binocular OCT device can perform a range of other diagnostic eye tests.
Taken together, these new features of binocular OCT have the potential to make eye examination much quicker and more efficient.
To truly “reinvent the eye examination”, a binocular OCT device must be easy to use, even for those who are visually impaired, or who do not have experience with technology. In this study, we intend to test whether a prototype binocular OCT device is easy to use by people of all ages with chronic eye disease. Feedback from participants in the study will then be crucial for improving the design of the device before it undergoes more formal clinical testing and diagnostic accuracy studies at a later date.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1756
Date of REC Opinion
2 Nov 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion