At-home sight test developed

Researchers have created a method of conducting sight tests at home without the need for specialist equipment in response to the pandemic.

The Home Acuity Test (Hat), which was printed on A4 paper and posted to patients, has proved to be ‘a good alternative to clinic-based tests,’ according to its developers.

Researchers explained that since the start of the pandemic, phone and video consultations have increased with over 100,000 conducted by Moorfields Eye Hospital.

A team from Moorfields, University of Essex, University of Cambridge and University College London devised the low-tech, remote sight test to estimate a patient’s level of vision.

Dr Matteo Lisi, from the University of Essex’s department of psychology, said: ‘During the pandemic many opticians have had to change their way of working to keep patients safe and stop the spread of coronavirus, including asking their patients to do self-assessments, for example by reading television subtitles.’