Hand-held, wireless retinal scanner harnesses new photonics technology allow early diagnosis of glaucoma and retinopathy that is diabetic.
A European band of experts will work regarding the development of a breakthrough, compact, economical scanner that is retinal will play an integral role in targeting the first diagnosis of retinal diseases that are worldwide leading factors behind loss of sight. Funded by the Photonics PPP platform, OCTChip is placed to revolutionise diagnosis of retinal conditions and steer clear of an incredible number of cases of loss of sight.
Diabetic Retinopathy reports for the main cause that is leading of, with 200 million cases worldwide, and 60 million affected Europeans. With an population that is ageing higher life expectancies and increasing levels of diabetes, the amount of instances loss of sight that is preventable increasing.
The retina, with a depth of 0.25mm and consists of over 10 levels, is very difficult to access at the back of the eye with virtually any technology than OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography), the technique that is set up of in eye-related diseases.
However, as Professor Wolfgang Drexler, Professor of health Physics and Head of Center for health Physics and Biomedical Engineering during the Medical University of Vienna, who heads the OCTChip task, observes:
"State-of-the-art OCT technology has its restrictions: it is cumbersome, how big is a desk top and pricey, costing any such thing in the region of €100, 000 per device. It could detect abnormalities but during the minute that is current compact, affordable versions you can use outside of hospitals as well as in private practice in a hand held mode don't occur."
"The key element of our OCTChip project targets how big is a 1 coin that is cent. It shall keep costs down and it is maintenance free. Ergo retinal diseases like Diabetic Retinopathy and Glaucoma along with other retina diseases which are global leading factors for loss of sight might be diagnosed via screening with this specific lightweight that is cost-effective form of OCT."
"OCTChip fosters distribute that is wide to visualise and quantify the retina much more meaning, so we could diagnose conditions better, quicker, and cheaper." Professor Drexler stated.
The term that is really miss OCTChip is exciting: hand-held, wireless and robust, it will work via Bluetooth, on a mobile phone or a tablet, enabling enhancing health care in remote Third World areas. The implications suggest it may probably be utilized as a battery operated capsule for gastrointestinal diagnosis in the foreseeable future as a miniaturized imaging technique.
its thought that the OCTChip scanner are made therefore user friendly that self-diagnosis will be possible. "Perhaps in the foreseeable future this will be available in supermarkets, for self-diagnosis" stated Professor Drexler.
The OCTChip group hopes to possess refined their prototype that is very first by of 2017 and goals for mass commercialisation to begin with around 2020.
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