Page 5 - Dear Bera Family

The second project, called Eye Drive, comprises a service unique to
Soroka that makes it possible to examine patients with eye disease
without them having to enter the clinic. The emphasis is on accessibility,
speed, and the use of advanced technology without the need for an
in-person physician’s physical exam, in order to maintain as much
physical distance as possible from the patients, while ensuring
a high level of care. These examinations are intended primarily for
elderly retinal degeneration patients who are afraid to come to the
Ophthalmology Clinic because of the virus.

State-of-the-art technological means for photographing the fundus of
the eye and OCT, which makes it possible to carry out advanced imaging
of the eye, are used to examine the patients.
The patients’ administrative preparation takes place ahead of time and
from a distance. A technician performs the imaging and the images
are interpreted from a distance via telemedicine by a physician who
decides what treatment is needed and accordingly updates the patient
online regarding treatment and/or follow-up. This site has been working
for the past several weeks and provides service to dozens of patients.

According to Dr. Erez Tsumi, acting head of the Ophthalmology
Department, “The Ophthalmology Service at Soroka has made extensive
adjustments in both diagnostics (the operation of the Eye Drive clinic)
and treatment (the ophthalmology services ambulance).
These innovations will also serve us in the post-coronavirus era.”