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I am a Consultant Neurologist and emeritus Professor of Clinical Neurosciences in Bristol, UK, but also work as a volunteer with a Visiting Professor contract at Gulu University Medical School Faculty of Medicine in northern Uganda, in undergraduate medical student teaching, post- graduate specialist training in neurology and internal medicine, clinical practice and research.

Most of our clinical work, medical student teaching and junior doctor training takes place at St Mary’s Hospital, Lacor, a non-for-profit non-government hospital which has a formal affiliation as a Teaching Hospital of Gulu University Medical School.

Teaching of ophthalmoscopic skills is never easy and the absence of ready access to MRI/CT scanning markedly increases the importance and value of good fundoscopy.

On this background, The Optomed Aurora IQ camera has been a game-changing development.

After a brief teaching lecture and a practical demonstration of the Optomed Aurora IQ, the camera was taken into regular use by junior and senior doctors in their clinical practice.

The Optomed Aurora IQ is making an enormous difference in this rather remote area of northern Uganda.

I use the Optomed Aurora IQ camera for the documentation and follow-up of retinal findings. A retinal image allows a more detailed view of findings for a later review than a written description. The camera has also been used in imaging retinal conditions suspected to be genetic. In these cases, it has been possible to send the images directly to a canine genetic research group to be used in scientific studies.

Features that I like in Optomed Aurora IQ include a wide field of view and an almost silent operation; a loud sound for example during focusing can frighten dogs and could prevent image capture. Infrared aiming light of the camera eases the imaging a lot. It is possible to capture high quality images even though the pupil is not dilated. At first, I had doubts about the length of the camera, but image capture from even active dogs has succeeded well after practicing the technique. The camera is practical for the follow-up of diseases and particularly useful in demonstrating changes in the animal’s eye to the customer directly from the camera display.

Optometrist Edgars Novikovs shares his experiences with the Optomed Aurora IQ handheld fundus camera and describes how retinal imaging with artificial intelligence helps to detect early changes on the retina more carefully. The contribution of AI in his daily work is enormous. Novikovs has had several cases where diabetic retinopathy has been found in early stages with the help of AI. The screening result can be shared with the patient immediately from the camera screen and shared further to another doctor in case of need.

I use the Optomed Aurora® IQ for fundus photography of children and premature infants at the University Hospital and the Prefectural Perinatal Medical Center. I use it to record fundus findings in children who have difficulty with fundus photography with a stationary fundus camera and to compare fundus findings in retinopathy of prematurity, which requires frequent follow-up. We like the ease of use and high quality of the photography and the usefulness in explaining the results to family members.

Its size makes the camera ideal for pediatric and geriatric patients. The camera is super easy to use and the quality of the images is excellent. The camera is non-mydriatic which is perfect because there is no need to dilate. In my consultations, I use aurora in all my patients without exception. Giving me the opportunity to detect anomalies in the optic nerve, drusen, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and others.

I love using the red-free images making it easy to detect any anomaly no matter how small.

Aurora has a module to capture anterior segment images, which you can take images with fluorescein since it has Cobalt blue light.

Aurora IQ is a very complete camera that will undoubtedly make a difference in your practice.

“Aurora Supero mis Expectativas.”

Su tamaño hace que la cámara sea ideal para pacientes pediátricos y Geriátricos. La cámara es super fácil de usar y la calidad de las imagines son excelentes. La cámara no es midiatrica lo cual es perfecto por que no hay necesidad de Dilatar, En mis consultas uso aurora en todos mis pacientes sin excepción. Dándome la oportunidad de detectar anomalías en nervio óptico, Drusas, retinopatías diabéticas, Degeneración Macular y otras.

Me encanta usar las imágenes con contraste el cual facilita detectar cualquier anomalía por pequeña que sea.

Aurora cuenta con un aditamento para revisar segmento anterior, el cual puedes tomar imágenes con fluorocenina ya que cuenta con luz azul.

Aurora IQ es una cámara muy completa que sin duda hará una diferencia en su consulta

I have been so impressed with the use of the Aurora Fundus camera in my work as an independent visiting Optometrist. I was looking for a portable handheld fundus camera that worked well without dilation for the purposes of complimenting Ophthalmoscopy. The Aurora is exceptionally portable as it comes in two sections. I find the battery lasts when out and about all day and I have a spare one as a backup which means I can charge it overnight back in the office.

I find that my patients are more engaged as I can show them the visual image and give them, or their carer an explanation, and the ability to maintain some social distancing is still appreciated!

I have found, that having given a simple explanation of what will happen, it is very well tolerated amongst my patients particularly amongst those that have dementia and those with a learning disability. It is also invaluable for offering diabetic retinopathy screening for those who are housebound. The visual record is very helpful for monitoring and referral as well as informing patients and their careers about the health of their eyes. I find they appreciate that a good image is captured without the use of dilating drops but then if you subsequently dilate and show them the even clearer image, it demonstrates your care for them.

Kirsty and the team at Mainline couldn’t have been more helpful and supportive.

We have tested Aurora Camera on several healthy volunteers in the last months of 2021 before the more severe restrictions imposed by Covid pandemics. Our impression of the Aurora Camera was excellent; it is a very useful tool, especially in the emergency room and for the specialists in ophthalmology, but also in the neurovascular field for the search for vascular status. The clarity of the 2D images is impressive.

Designing a robust and effective Diabetic Retinopathy screening programme for a developing nation such as Eswatini hung upon 3 demands: 1. Untrained operators 2: Robust mobile fundus camera. 3: Low cost and sustainability.

With little training, our screeners have mastered the art of retinal imaging on this platform. The camera’s ability and versatility have been proven in demanding African conditions. The low acquisition cost is attractive for funders and for expansion. These successes have allowed the successful grading of images in the field by the options of either instant AI or technician grading. Our Service demands have been well met in the Optomed retinal camera, and now with confidence from 2 years of operation, we are now set to expand the service, and Optomed equipment will be at home in busy diabetic clinics, dusty communities, and eye services alike!

Since the arrival of the Optomed Aurora we have made use of the device for patients seen in a General Neurology setting. These patients are seen in clinic and on consult rounds throughout the hospital both on wards and in the Emergency Department. Principally we were interested in obtaining the Optomed Aurora for the examination and documentation of fundoscopy for patients with Multiple Sclerosis in clinic and those presenting to the Emergency Department and to clinic with headache disorders, in particular idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Prior to the Optomed Aurora these patients were examined with a direct ophthalmoscope (most typically a Welch Allyn direct ophthalmoscope) which has become increasingly challenging as an examination modality in the context of COVID-19. The requirement for physicians to wear face shields and visors when examining patients has resulted in direct ophthalmoscopy being rushed or omitted in some cases. When its performance is indicated there is an unavoidable increase in the level of contact and concomitant increase in the risk of exposure. While there have been attempts made in other centres to circumvent this (Jorge, Martins and Prata, 2020), we were keen to make use of an alternative approach.

The Optomed Aurora allows for safe acquisition of retinal images while maintaining appropriate levels of contact as required during the COVID-19 pandemic. This combines with the advantage of maintaining a documentary record of fundal images which can be compared over time in our clinic patients and the capture of significant retinal findings for educational and research purposes. The wide field of view that can be obtained without the requirement for mydriatic agents renders image acquisition feasible in a busy clinic or the ED with minimal inconvenience to patient or physician.

We found the Optomed Aurora easy to use and after a single tutorial from the manufacturers we rapidly improved the speed and quality of our retinal photography. Optomed provided us with a valuable trial period which allowed us to become familiar with the camera and have given us excellent support throughout the initial use period. The set-up and operation of the camera is straightforward and easy to explain to colleagues. Moreover, the light weight and form factor makes it feasible to bring on ward rounds and to clinic.

Reference:
Jorge A, Martins AI, Prata M, et al. Ophthalmoscopy in COVID-19 low-risk patients. Practical Neurology 2020;20:425-426.

Experience of using a non-mydriatic fundus camera Optomed Aurora in the conditions of St. Petersburg State Budgetary Healthcare Institution “Children’s City Multidisciplinary Clinical Specialized Center for High Medical Technologies”

Own experience of using Optomed Aurora portable fundus camera in pediatric ophthalmic practice for several months made it possible to significantly expand the range of patient examinations. Thanks to the modern digital design, convenient interface, training and subsequent work with the camera did not cause difficulties. I would like to note a wide field of view (viewing angle of 50 °), which is an excellent indicator when using contactless technology in a fundus camera. A high-quality TFT-LCD display with a diagonal of 4 inches made it possible to quickly analyze the resulting image in real-time mode.

In the conditions of a multidisciplinary hospital for children, we used Optomed Aurora at all levels of patient care: outpatient care, intensive care unit,  and other specialized departments, mainly due to the device’s autonomous operation and its compact size. In our practice, we have not identified age restrictions for the use of Optomed Aurora.

Examination of newborns of the first week of life, including premature babies with pH (pulmonary hypertension), ​​is convenient in the daily practice of an ophthalmologist. It is worth noting that we studied this group of patients on a fundus camera under conditions of drug mydriasis, due to low visual functions and unstable fixation of gaze, according to the age characteristics of children in the first months of life. Repeated studies were conducted for some patients, given the need for dynamic monitoring of the identified pathology. Especially children with optic edema, retinal hemorrhages, chorioretinitis (intrauterine infection), retinopathy of premature infants, etc. needed this especially.

Considering the possibility of storing the examination data in a digital format and comparing the obtained images, we were able to optimize the tactics of observation and treatment of the identified ophthalmopathology.

Thus, Optomed Aurora is a modern, high-tech portable medical device that can be useful in the practice of an ophthalmologist at any level of specialized care.

I used the Optomed Aurora non-mydriatic hand-held fundus camera for our implementation research work on diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening and economic evaluation for program sustainability in low-income settings of sub-Saharan Africa.

I love the portability with the cool and presentable bag. The device portability helped our movements between centres and guaranteed our flexibility in changing examination rooms to suit the patients. The patients found it convenient and acceptability level was high as the screening was taken to diabetic clinics and meeting days of the diabetic association without the stress of pupillary dilatation.

The large 4-inch screen interface was used on-site for grading and counselling of the patients immediately after the photography shots which took an average time of about 5 minutes. The images were of high resolution, excellent quality, automatically stored and easily retrievable for further data analysis later.

I really enjoyed the battery performance and the backup battery really helped to complete the day’s task. We were able to screen about 25 participants (50 eyes) per clinic day. A fully charged battery lasted about 2 hours with continuous use of the camera before changing to the extra. We only had to charge the battery only once on site.

My overall impression is that the Optomed Aurora is an excellent device that is ideal and fit for purpose. It is highly user-friendly and capable of serving multiple clinics even without constant electrical power supply and our patients love it.

Optomed Aurora IQ has been advertised with its AI-integration, so I was very curious to test it. It is easy to activate the AI on the camera and I was impressed by the smooth process.

After getting the connection activated and getting started, it was a great experience for both me and my patients to take images and send them for analysis. In less than 1 minute we could get the screening results directly to the camera display. Comparing that to the traditional way of doing things is not even worth comparing!

The new software features of Aurora IQ are great as well. The image quality is excellent, and the auto exposure is a clever function to accelerate the imaging procedure, which is always important for the patients. There is also less to remember for the operators who do not use the camera on the daily basis.

I have been using Optomed Aurora IQ for about two months now and it has been performing exactly how Optomed promised. More importantly it has performed better that I expected.

Optomed Aurora camera is suitable for use by physicians-ophthalmologists in many specialties – for diagnostics of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, aging macula degeneration, etc., with a possibility to track and compare images over the course of the disease. The camera provides an important feature to take images in color, red-free and infrared formats. It is lighter, less space-consuming, and more cost-efficient than stationary cameras.

The Aurora camera is very applicable for the use of optometrists, who can perform mass population eye health screenings including healthy (still missing symptoms) population. In our experience, as a result of such screenings, in a number of cases diseases were diagnosed when patients were not aware and had no symptoms, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, aging macula degeneration (AMD), thus proving the potential in early diagnostics and therefore enabling better treatment outcomes.

A handheld eye fundus camera is also very effective in teleophthalmology – remote screenings and evaluation of patients located at large distances from health care facilities, who have disabilities or are immobile. The effectiveness of the camera use in teleophthalmology has also been demonstrated in the reviewer’s work in Lithuania, conducting screenings with the camera at elderly care facilities, as well as while primary care physicians conducting screenings of patients with diabetic retinopathy in remote geographic areas transmitted eye fundus images obtained with Aurora for the evaluation of an ophthalmologist. This enables early diagnostics and timely treatment of diabetic retinopathy and its complications. The camera is extremely applicable in a pandemic when non-emergency access to health care is very limited and the camera can provide remote diagnostics and help limit the volume of in-person patient encounters for public health reasons.

The Smartscope camera is extremely well suited for all those situations where fundus imaging is needed but traditional imaging equipment cannot be used, e.g. emergency patients, child patients, and eye examinations under general anesthesia. Also small private clinics can benefit a lot from this type of imaging tool. You can get excellent images from the posterior pole and optic disc, which enables the screening and follow-up of glaucoma patients, together with the possibility to consult glaucoma specialist when necessary.

Digifundus has been a customer of Optomed Software Solutions (ex. Commit) for over 10-years. During this time, we have used the Optomed screening process management system for our diabetic retinopathy screening services. We have worked together in developing and fine-tuning the software to meet the increasing needs of our service business, so we can better serve our end-customers, which are major public and private health-care providers in the Nordic countries.

It’s a handheld device and it’s very easy to handle, which is essential for pediatric use. This device has many applications, as it can be used both for anterior segment and fundus imaging. It is a very good tool for diagnosis and follow-up of ophthalmic pathologies in children such as congenital cataract and congenital glaucoma. The camera has good image resolution and the usage of the device is easily learned. For all these reasons I feel that the Smartscope is a very suitable device for pediatric ophthalmology.

Terveystalo is a private healthcare provider  offering a wide range of primary and specialist health care services to corporate and private customers as well as the public sector. Terveystalo’s nationwide network covers about 300 locations across Finland and the network is supported by digital services available around the clock.

The cooperation with Optomed started in 2005, when Terveystalo’s imaging transferred to the digital era with the introduction of the PACS image archive system. The system is used to streamline Terveystalo’s diagnostic process and enhance accurate treatment decisions.

Optomed Screen mammography process management software was taken into use at the same time as the PACS system to support and improve Terveystalo’s growing breast cancer screening activities. With the help of the system, Terveystalo produces approximately 180,000 studies annually, which covers about 55 % of Finland’s national breast cancer screening program.

“These systems are used daily by hundreds of users nationwide to record customer and study data as well as statistics from breast cancer screenings.

Both systems, the PACS image archive, as well as Optomed Screen have proven to be reliable and stable, and the software’s intuitive interface streamlines daily work. The interface is straightforward and our professionals have quickly adopted it.”

The cervical cancer screening programme in Finland is a remarkable success. According to professor Nea Malila, the director of the Mass Screening Registry in Finland, mortality from cervical cancer has decreased by more than 80 per cent since the screening programme was introduced in the 1960s.

During the 1990s, the first laboratory systems were modified to include screening anamnesis and cytology reports. This was managed manually. Invitation letters were sent from the local nurse’s offices after scheduling the smear test. Any correspondence between the laboratories and nurses was also handled by mail. Data collection forms were populated with demographic data and printed months before the actual visit.

“Today, modern technology is used to automate all aspects of CSF’s screening process. The Commit (Optomed Software) Screening solution from Finnish healthcare IT specialist Commit (Optomed Software) provides comprehensive functionality to all involved in the process, from scheduling appointments over the internet, to the taking of smear samples, followed by analysis and referrals. By automating routine work, the system enables flexibility, timely operations, and cost savings, while providing all parties within the programme with the information they need to ensure a successful screening cycle for every patient.”