Gerry Palmers Tech 10.04.2021 23:Oct PM EDT

iPhone 13 Camera Power Is So Great: Ophthalmologist Using Pro Max for Eye Treatment, Ditches $15,000 Device

What's so special about the iPhone 13 Pro Max cameras? An ophthalmologist had a close, rewarding look at its impressive features.

One of the awesome new offerings on the iPhone 13 Pro Max cameras is the new Macro mode for taking extreme close up photos and videos, 9to5Mac revealed. While photography enthusiasts have been mainly using this feature to take breathtaking and zoomed-in detailed images of nature, ophthalmologist Dr. Tommy Korn has used the smartphone's cameras for a significant purpose related to his work: actual eye treatment.

Ophthalmologist 'Impressed' With iPhone 13 Pro Max Images of Patients' Eyes

In a post on LinkedIn, the doctor revealed how he has been using the iPhone 13 Pro Max to check on his patients' eyes. With the help of the iPhone 13 Pro Max's Macro mode, Korn could take incredibly detailed photos of his patients' eyes, which allows him to observe and document important details about their health.

In his post, he shared the case of a cornea transplant patient, whom he needs to check constantly to see if the abrasion is being healed. Korn said he was "impressed" with the results, adding that the feature will "innovate patient eye care and telemedicine forward to seeing where it goes."

Korn, together with optometrist Jeffrey Lewis, stressed how the iPhone 13 Pro Max's Macro mode will be an essential driver in pushing telemedicine forward, saying it is an "overall move toward virtual, slowly overcoming imaging barriers."

In an interview with PetaPixel, Korn clarified that the innovation does not replace ophthalmic exams using medical-grade cameras, but it helps doctors track the progress of a patient's eye condition. Instead of taking notes, ophthalmologists would prefer to take photos of this progression.

"I'm using it for documentation," Korn said, adding that he uses what he observes on the phone's camera to "know if (the condition) is serious or not."

Previously, Korn disclosed he had been using a full-sized camera: a Nikon D800 with a 105mm f/2.8 macro lens. He said after capturing the image of the patient's eyes, he needs to take the card out, upload it and place it in his records. "There were lots of friction points," Korn told PetaPixel.

Korn then shared that he found a better way to do this image documentation with less friction points, allowing him to do his job easier. When the iPhone 6+ was released, he used it, modified with an adapter on a slit lamp eye camera that is common in most ophthalmologist's clinics. He uses the custom adapter with the iPhone placed on the slit lamp eye camera.

Doctor Ditches $15,000 Eye Camera for iPhone 13

But with the release of the iPhone 13 last month, the Macro mode on the Pro Max variant was so good, he did not need the $15,000 slit lamp eye camera with an adapter and can now take photos of his patients' eyes only using the iPhone.

Korn mentioned that it is a pro camera that comes with a computer, and as such, using the iPhone 13 Pro Max to document patient photos is much easier, efficient and convenient since he could attach them to his records in just a few taps.

Korn also said he could use the AirDrop feature to share the photos with the patient, so they could also keep their own records and have other specialists check their progress if they decide to do so. In addition, patients could also send pictures of their eyes remotely and have a televideo visit with them to check their eyes thoroughly. Such improves telemedicine, he said, stressing that while he can check on people in person for urgent care, those who have a not so urgent case can still get care conveniently at home.

No new lens were added to support Macro shots on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. The smartphones have an upgraded ultra-wide lens with a larger f/1.8 aperture and 120-degree field of view that can take Macro images with two centimeters of distance.