JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Smartphone applications (apps) can support ophthalmic care by enabling patient-led, remote self-assessment, monitoring and management of visual function and eye conditions. However, real-world use depends on their feasibility and acceptability among people with visual impairment and eye disease.

Objective:

This scoping review aimed to identify and map smartphone apps used by patients or caregivers to assess, monitor, or support the management of visual impairment or eye disease, and to summarise evidence regarding feasibility and acceptability.

Methods:

A structured search of the following databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, PsycINFO, and PsycARTICLES, was conducted for studies published between March 2014 and May 2025, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Studies were included if they reported findings on the feasibility or acceptability of an app for use by patients with visual impairment or eye disease, or by caregivers, to assess, monitor, or support self-management. Studies evaluating apps intended primarily for use by clinicians or third parties for screening (for example, in schools or outreach programmes) were excluded.

Results:

From 9,133 records, 21 eligible studies were included. Studies evaluated apps measuring visual acuity (VA) or related visual functions (n=6); risk assessment, early detection, or home monitoring of eye conditions (n=6); therapeutic management or patient support (n=6); and patient interest, uptake, and engagement in app use (n=3). Feasibility findings indicated that VA apps showed good agreement with clinical reference measures, although some performed worse in users with poorer baseline vision or under less controlled conditions. Other apps supported risk assessment, home monitoring, treatment adherence, patient education, telemedicine support, and parent- or caregiver-mediated management. Across categories, barriers to feasibility and acceptability included limited digital confidence, device incompatibility, variable access to smartphones, and user training or supervision needs for reliable use, with relatively limited evidence from routine unsupervised settings.

Conclusions:

Smartphone apps could support patient-led remote monitoring and management in ophthalmic care, but the evidence remains mixed across app types and use contexts. Future work should prioritise user-centred design, validation across a wider range of disease severity, and approaches that support users with lower digital confidence and less access to digital technology to avoid extending existing inequalities in access and use.