
Addenbrooke’s hospital offers first self-service digital eye test
Ella Day | July 17, 2025 | News story | Research and Development | Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, Opthalmology, UK, eye test, ophthalmology
Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, has become the first in the UK to deploy a digital self-testing system – DigiVis DVA system – that allows patients to assess their vision while waiting for their eye clinic appointments.
The technology, developed by consultant paediatric ophthalmologist Louise Allen at Cambridge University Hospitals, enables patients to check their distance visual acuity in minutes using a tablet-based kiosk. Patients pair their smartphone with the kiosk over Wi-Fi, following voice prompts to match letters displayed on the screen. The test adjusts automatically to determine the smallest letters the patient can recognise, providing an important measure of eye health.
Designed to ease pressure on NHS outpatient clinics – the busiest in the hospital sector – the technology frees up clinical staff, reduces waiting times and supports the NHS’s 10-year plan to shift services from analogue to digital and from treatment to prevention.
The DigiVis system can also be used at home, enabling patients – particularly those in rural areas or with limited transport – to monitor their vision between appointments or prepare for remote consultations. Patients receive results by text or email, which are then reviewed and discussed by their clinician.
Allen said: “This is a great example of how digital innovation can make the NHS more efficient and help patients become more involved in their care. Trying the test in the clinic gives patients the confidence to do it at home before a remote consultation.”
Nurse-led vision testing remains available for those who prefer it.
Ella Day
17/7/25
Related Content

Digital Control Room, a major pharma provider, wins King’s Award for Enterprise
Buckingham Palace has announced that Digital Control Room, a software platform that monitors companies’ online …

Deadly cancers are being financially left behind, new research claims
New research has revealed that some of the UK’s most deadly and prevalent cancers receive …

Moderna authorised to upscale development of mRNA vaccines in UK
Global researcher of mRNA medicine, Moderna, has been granted authorisation by the Medicines and Healthcare …






