Apps for ODs

Sifting through all the medical apps out there? Try these first.

By Erin Murphy, Associate Editor

Apps are everywhere and there's no shortage of medical apps either. With everything from comprehensive anatomy encyclopedias and drug guides to very specific risk calculators and diagnostic aids, you've got a lot of choices. Apps just for ODs and optometry students abound, too. Some present a unique benefit, and others will simply save you a trip to your laptop.

Here's a list of just a few apps that could save you time and help you perform better during everyday exams and tasks.

■ Tests: If you perform vision screening away from your office, consider these testing apps. The EyeChart app puts a standard Snellen visual acuity test on your smart phone, while EyeChart RandomEyes randomizes the test. If you have an iPad, the Eye Chart Pro app gives you randomizable Snellen or tumbling E charts, and the more advanced Eye Chart Premium adds the Landolt C chart to your options. Need a portable Amsler grid? Try the Amsler Vision and MaculaTester apps.

■ Anatomy: You don't need any anatomy lessons, but your patients do. Illustrate ocular anatomy for your patients with apps like Grays Anatomy, Netters Anatomy and Blausen Human Atlas or Blausen Human Atlas HD for the iPad.

■ Calculators: Where to begin? Calculators of all kinds are easy to adapt to mobile devices, and it seems almost every medical calculator has made the move to the mobile environment. Mediquations and MedCalc put hundreds of medical scoring tools and calculations at your fingertips.

Just for ODs, the Optics Clinical Calculator app has nine calculators "used daily in prescribing lenses and understanding optics." If you're comanaging anterior segment surgery, the Astigmaster app is a surgically induced astigmatism vector calculator. Glaucoma apps like P.R.E.D.I.C.T., Glaucoma Calc and OHT Calc help you calculate the risk of developing glaucoma for patients with untreated ocular hypertension.

■ Medication: Drug guides also translate easily to smart phones, which is why there are so many to choose from, including (but not limited to): Epocrates, DrugGuide (Davis's Drug Guide) and iPharmacy. The Generics app lets you find discount generic drugs that your patients can buy from national pharmacy chains.

■ Research: Several apps aim to make it easier for you to access and organize the latest medical research. To find clinical trials, try the Drug Trials and Clinical Trials apps. Mobile Abstracts provides access to millions of medical journal abstracts available through PubMed. You can also store and access all of the medical PDFs you've accumulated with the Papers app.

■ Billing and coding: Confused about which code to use? Take a look at some of the coding apps for E/M, such as Stat E&M Coder, E/M Code Check and EM Coding, and ICD-9 coding apps like STAT ICD-9 Coder, ICD9 Consult and ICDMeister 2010.

■ Language translators: If you've ever traveled abroad with your smart phone, you've probably used a translator app. To bridge language barriers with patients wherever you are, try apps like Medical Spanish, Pocket Medical Spanish, Medical French or Medical Translator (English, Spanish, Italian, French and German).

Any room left on your iPhone? Download the Journals@LWWapp to view your journals and get news for your specialty. And keep your eyes peeled for new apps. nOD