{"id":198,"date":"2019-07-19T18:22:33","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T18:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyedoctorsite.com\/blog\/?p=198"},"modified":"2019-07-19T18:22:33","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T18:22:33","slug":"should-i-search-the-internet-to-treat-my-eye-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eyedoctorsite.com\/blog\/should-i-search-the-internet-to-treat-my-eye-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I search the internet to treat my eye symptoms?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A recent study found that 96% of the people in the United States (over 300 million people) actively use the internet every day, and 25% of them are almost constantly online. It is estimated that nearly 70% of Americans search the internet for health related information and ways to treat their symptoms before contacting a doctor. The people most likely to do this are younger, more affluent, better educated, and women. This is a very impressive statistic but the question remains \u201cIs this a good idea and should people trust their health to what they read online?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The medical journal JAMA Ophthalmology recently examined the quality of information regarding retinal detachment on several major medical sites such as WebMD, Wikipedia, EyeWiki, MedicineNet, and the Mayo Clinic. The study was done by three experts using a predetermined set of questions. The article found that useful information can be collected from these general sites once the correct, specific diagnosis was researched. However, first making the correct diagnosis and finding trustworthy, specific information about its management remains a problem. This was not the case when the patient\u2019s symptoms were personally discussed and evaluated by an expert in the field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another recent study examined the diagnoses generated by WebMD Symptom Checker. This study showed the online tool was correct only 26% of the time! In addition,  the recommendation for the top diagnosis was often inappropriate, at times recommending self-care at home instead of going to the emergency room or the doctor\u2019s office. This research was presented at the 122nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The researchers stated ophthalmology-related symptom checkers have an inherent limitation because most eye diseases and conditions require an in-person examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In conclusion, it is important to realize that doing research online after developing new eye signs or symptoms can be helpful in identifying possible conditions. It is always in the person\u2019s best interest to be an informed patient.  However, it has also been scientifically proven that often these online symptom checkers do not arrive at the correct diagnosis. Some eye emergencies like narrow angle glaucoma, retinal detachments, optic neuritis, herpetic keratitis, orbital cellulitis, and retinal vascular occlusions, if not treated promptly, can lead to permanent loss of vision or blindness. The wrong recommendation on what to do with any of these  diagnoses could be dangerous. Clearly, the technology used in these online symptom checkers still have a long way to go in terms of accuracy. If you have any questions regarding new eye symptoms or signs, do not hesitate to at least contact your eye doctor\u2019s office to see if it is an emergency that requires immediate attention.
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