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Please note that the reviewers are not healthcare professionals, and so cannot appraise the quality of any recommendations within the app. The reviews are not endorsements.
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Eye Handbook
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Image Source: Eye Handbook, Apple App Store. Retrieved on May 19, 2021 from: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/eye-handbook/id335546959
Stated Purpose
““…comprehensive diagnostic and treatment reference app for eye care professionals.”
https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/eye-handbook/id335546959
Provides a Forum for eye care professionals to crowdsource eye diagnosis & treatment information. There is also a staff directory listed within the app.
Features
-Calculators
-ICD9 coding
-ICD9 to ICD10 converter
-ICD10 coding
-Audio, Video downloads
-User Directory
-Eye Atlas
-Eye Wiki
-Forums
-Ophthalmology and Optometry Journals
-Medication and Pharmacopeia
-Journals
-Eye Diagrams
-Patient Education tools
-RSS Feeds
-Acronym List
-DDX
-Dictionary
-Eponyms
-Genetics
-Mnemonics
-Workups
-Testing
-Treatment Reference
-Vision Symptoms
You can also email and share ‘pages’ within the app.
The app provides a link to a free partner app called Eye Patient (patient-related app)
Screenshots
Image Source: Eye Handbook, Apple App Store. Retrieved on May 19, 2021 from: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/eye-handbook/id335546959
Eye care professionals
Ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, orthoptists as well as ophthalmology residents, or anyone involved in eye care
Notes
None
Part 1: Editorial committee, content updates, and evidence grading
Information relating to the editorial committee is found within the app. As part of this, the Chief Editors are listed, along with Lead Editors for several specialty areas. There does not appear to be a grading system used within the app, and no information has been provided relating to content updates.
Part 2: Source and authorship information for 3 entries
The fact that this app describes itself as a reference tool is not as strongly backed up by authorship or evidence provision throughout the app as it could be, unfortunately.
The provision of authorship information within this App is inconsistent and is reflected in the low scoring given. With regards to this, authorship was not provided for all EHB Manual entries. References were included for all three entries, but in some cases the evidence appeared to be dated; the lack of clarity around the update frequency of the content within the app is unfortunate. The links to external evidence were live and it was possible to access the articles within the app. However this feature only worked within the iPhone version of the app; it was not possible to open the article links within the Android version of the app, as part of the review. It appeared the currency of evidence being provided varied between entries. The video entry that was reviewed was lacking in the provision of evidence.
Organization of information
The information is organized using three separate navigation menus. Several topics within the navigation menus also use sub-topics to display more focused, subject-specific information.
Navigation
The first navigation menu is represented by 3 lines and can be found on the topic left hand side of the app –this menu brings you to settings, info about the app and the login area. The second navigation option is visual in nature and is represented by icons – these icons provide access to the EHB Manual and Testing information, for example. The third navigation menu can be found at the bottom of the screen – this provides access to News, the user directory and a Reference tool, for example. It is also possible to search the Reference tool using keywords.
Extras
User Account require: No
Internet connection required for use: Yes
Text search field: Yes
Browsable content: Yes; within the EHB Manual, Coding and Meds sections you can search by ‘subject’ i.e. topic/ coding type
Advertisements: Yes
Pop-up advertisements: Yes
In-app purchases: No
Devices
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Mac. Requires iOS 12.0 or later / iOS 11 or later for Mac, and a Mac with Apple M1 chip. https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/eye-handbook/id335546959
Last updated (as per App store listing): April 21, 2021
Appears to be compatible with all Android devices. Requires Android OS 4.2 and up. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.CloudNineDevelopement.EyeHandbook&hl=en_CA&gl=US
Last updated (as per Google Play listing): February 25, 2021
Size
Cloud Nine Development
Country of Origin
United States