Postoperative evaluation of patients following ophthalmic surgery

We have used telemedicine to support the postoperative evaluation of patien ts who have had ophthalmic surgery. Mobile telemedicine workstations connec ted using three ISDN lines have enabled us to review patients at an outreac h clinic on the first postoperative day. Video slit-lamp images of the pati ent are captured by a trained ophthalmic nurse at the outreach clinic and v iewed by surgeons at Moorfields Eye Hospital in central London during live teleconsultations. During the study period, over 80 teleconsultations were carried out on postoperative cataract, trabeculectomy and combined procedur es. Preliminary results are very encouraging. Although 8 (33%) of 24 patien ts were anxious about being involved in the teleconsultation, 20 (83%) had confidence in the system and only one (4%) found the experience unacceptabl e.