Co-designing and Evaluating a Real-world Implementation Model for Remote Consultation with Vision Self-testing.

Imagine being able to have some of your eye appointments from the comfort of your own home, with simple vision tests you can do yourself. This study is all about making that a reality for more people across the UK. With more and more people needing eye care, our hospitals are getting very busy. Remote consultations – where you talk to a doctor from somewhere else, often online – can be a helpful way to manage this.

However, it's not always straightforward. Sometimes, there are issues with the technology, or doctors find it hard to do a full check-up remotely. Patients might also worry about using new technology or not getting the same level of care. This research aims to tackle these problems head-on. The researchers are working closely with people who use eye services and the NHS staff who provide them. Together, they will design a new way of doing remote eye consultations that includes simple vision tests you can do at home, like using a special app on a phone or tablet. The goal is to make sure this new system is easy to use, works well for everyone, and can be used successfully in many eye clinics.

The study will look at what makes it difficult for people to use remote eye care and how these problems can be fixed. For example, they'll be talking to patients and staff in places like Cambridge, Peterborough, and Manchester to understand their experiences. Once a new system is designed, it will be put into action in these eye clinics. The researchers will then check if it's actually helping to improve how remote eye care is delivered, making it more convenient and effective for patients, and more manageable for the NHS.