Crowdsourcing and its applications to ophthalmology

Introduction: The aim of this study was to review the literature on the application of crowdsourcing in the field of ophthalmology. As the concept of crowdsourcing continues to receive interest, this review describes an analysis of the benefits, limitations, and future directions of crowdsourcing in the context of specific cases. A search of major research databases was performed to identify articles with specific reference to crowdsourcing within the field of ophthalmology. Seventeen total studies used crowdsourcing in a branch of ophthalmology. Crowdsourcing was used in three capacities: evaluation of ophthalmic imaging, collection of data, and assessment of surgery or surgical outcomes. Crowdsourcing holds the potential for rapid, economic data processing and reducing the task burden on experts. The main limitation of crowdsourcing is the potential for error due to inexperience of lay assessors. Areas covered: Crowdsourcing was applied in three capacities: evaluation of ophthalmic imaging, collection of data, and assessment of surgery or surgical outcomes. Expert opinion: Crowdsourcing has been utilized within ophthalmology and holds potential for rapid, economical data processing and reducing task burden on experts. While the use of crowdsourcing may still be nascent, prior reports indicate promise. This report aims to show how crowdsourcing has been applied in ophthalmology. The main limitation of crowdsourcing has been the potential for error due to lay assessor inexperience, though a potential solution is to use trained assessors. We hope to highlight the past, present, and future of crowdsourcing within ophthalmology through this comprehensive review.