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Tele-ophthalmology project launched

PUDUCHERRY: The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) launched a tele-ophthalmology project at its Rural Health Centre, Ramanathapuram, on Wednesday to screen patients over the age of 50 for common ocular disorders causing blindness.

According to a release, the project would utilise government facilities such as the Primary Health Centres and the Rural Health Centres and vision centres would be set up here.

The Rural Health Centre of JIPMER at Ramanathapuram would be utilised as a fully equipped vision centre in the first phase.

The project, which would be run by the Department of Ophthalmology in collaboration with the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine of JIPMER, aimed at screening patients over the age of 50 for cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degenerations and diabetic retinopathy, the release said.

“It is a photographic screening of patients by optometrists. The images will be stored and transmitted to the base hospital - JIPMER and ophthalmologists here will carry out analysis. The feedback will be sent to the vision centre for treatment and follow-up ,” Chief Project Coordinator Renuka Srinivasan said.

The vision centre would be equipped with diagnostic equipment.

Patients who require spectacles would be provided free spectacles at the venue and those who require further intervention would be treatment at JIPMER free of cost, the release said. Director of JIPMER K.S.V.K. Subba Rao inaugurated the project.

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