Improving Diagnostic Eye Assessments for Children ("IDEA" study)

Children at Great Ormond Street Hospital are undergoing eye tests while fully awake and alert, avoiding the need for anaesthetic or sedation. This matters because standard adult eye tests often require a child to sit perfectly still, follow complex instructions, or tolerate bright lights and contact lenses—demands that many young children cannot meet. As a result, children with suspected eye disease are frequently sedated or anaesthetised for diagnostic procedures such as the electroretinogram (which measures retinal electrical activity) or retinal imaging with oral fluorescein dye. Anaesthesia carries risks, adds cost, and disrupts the child’s day. The GOSH team has spent years modifying these tests to exploit the natural physiology of the visual system—for example, using specific patterns or colours that automatically trigger a measurable response without the child needing to cooperate. If this approach becomes standard practice, children with conditions affecting the eye could receive faster, safer diagnoses with less distress. The impact would be felt directly in paediatric ophthalmology clinics and hospital day-ward schedules, where fewer children would need anaesthetic appointments. It could also reduce waiting times and healthcare costs. The work is applied clinical science, not fundamental research—its value lies in immediate improvements to patient experience and diagnostic access.