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3D-Eye Office

LESLIE GOLDBERG, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Patient education is one of the most time consuming and important aspects of patient management. That is why Eyemaginations (Towson, Md.) has created 3D-Eye Office. This 3D-animated software program is designed to enhance patient communication and increase practice revenue by creating awareness of products and services available in the office.

"3D-Eye is a series of animations that presents patients with surgical options and helps them make more informed decisions," says John W. Kitchens, MD, of Retina Associates of Kentucky.

PATIENT BENEFITS

Dr. Kitchens has been using 3D-Eye for 4 months. "One of the benefits the patient receives by watching these videos is that he or she gets a good understanding of difficult concepts. When you are discussing topics such as macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, or vitreous detachment, it's hard for the patient to conceptualize. A good visual aid is important for both the patient and their family," says Dr. Kitchens.

"Through the use of narration and 3D animation, this interactive program educates, markets, trains, and entertains patients on a variety of topics such as macular degeneration, corneal neovascularization, cataracts, glaucoma, astigmatism, and more," says Mike Sopher, VP of sales and training at Eyemaginations.

Dr. Kitchens says that the 3D-Eye is an outstanding visual aid and is easier, more attractive, and more professional than using a dry erase board. "This product provides a much better understanding of what you are doing," says Dr. Kitchens.

An Eyemaginations image of the wet form of macular degeneration.

Sopher provides the following example of how 3D-Eye might help clarify a diagnosis for a patient. "A doctor might say to a patient 'you have drusen in the macular area.' The doctor could then hit an "F" key on his computer, which is pre-assigned to a macular degeneration presentation. The software then allows him to play a video or 3D simulation showing progression of the disease."

WHERE TO RUN 3D-EYE

Retina Associates of Kentucky has a plasma television in the waiting room with a variety of informational animations running. Additionally, the practice has a computer in each room with a viewing screen. These are used for viewing fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). They also have the 3D-Eye Office software on these computers so that they can run through an FA and OCT with the patient and then use the Eyemaginations visual aids to help better explain the concepts.

Dr. Kitchens says that 3D-Eye is a great patient education tool and a time saver. "You can run the animations as a preprogrammed module or use it in sketch pad mode. This mode allows you to stop the animations and draw on them. This helps patients to conceptualize what is going to happen to them. I like this mode even better. It is more interactive and they hear information from their doctor along with the video." RP

Dr. Kitchens has no financial ties to Eyemaginations.

For more information on Eyemaginations 3D-Eye Office, visit the company Web site at www.eyemaginations.com.