From Ancient Egypt’s jade-green Eye of Horus to Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” few anatomical features have captivated artists, scientists, and the general public as much as eye color. Like that of the skin, the color of the …
Author: Medgadged
Eye-Surgery Robot Developed to Operate With Higher Precision
A new smart eye-surgery robot has been developed by researcher Thijs Meenink at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), the Netherlands. The Eye-RHAS (Robot For Haptically Assisted Surgery) will make it possible to operate on the retina and the …
Video Games as New Treatment for Amblyopia in Older Children
We earlier reported that video games could improve the vision of adults with amblyopia. Now a new study in a population consisting of children aged 10 to 18 has found that the combination of video games and standard amblyopia treatment has a better e…
Canon’s TX-20 Non-Contact Tonometer Cleared in U.S.
Canon has received FDA 510(k) clearance for the TX-20 full-auto non-contact tonometer.The device can be used with a touch of one button when in fully automatic mode, or a peak intraocular pressure (IOP) can be set so that the device issues a warning me…
Pacific University Opens World’s First 3D Performance Clinic
Pacific University in Oregon has opened the world’s first 3D performance clinic, equipped to diagnose and treat eye coordination problems that affect 3D vision. The new center facilitates a whole movie theater to measure binocular vision performa…
New Retinal Imaging System EasyScan Does Not Require Pupil Dilatation
i-Optics from The Hague, The Netherands, developed a new retinal imaging system that uses scanning laser ophthalmoscope technology to detect early eye pathology like diabetic retinopathy. This technology provides a better contrast than regular fundus c…
Glassesof: App to Combat Presbyopia
It might seem a bit odd: an iPhone application to improve the ability people with presbyopia to see up close. But next year Ucansi, a U.S. company based in Israel, will launch their app called “Glassesof”.
Instead of trying to improve aging eyes, this app is developed to boost visual acuity by using a proprietary method that affects the brain’s visual cortex performance. The aim is to improve the ability of reading up close and the ability to do that for a longer period of time.
Canon CR-2 PLUS Non-mydriatic Retinal Camera Coming to U.S.
Having secured FDA clearance, Canon is now releasing its CR-2 PLUS digital non-mydriatic retinal camera to the U.S. market. The main feature of the camera over the CR-2 model is its ability to do fundus autofluorescence photography that is used to detect macular residue such as lipofuscin that gathers in the retinal pigment epithelial layer.
Like some other Canon retinal cameras, the CR-2 PLUS uses a common Rebel digital SLR as the image sensor.
VIP-200 Pupillometer Is a New Portable Device to Measure Pupils for Refractive Surgery
Neuroptics Inc. from Irvine, California released the VIP-200 Pupillometer, a hand-held device to screen patients for refractive surgery. The device helps eye surgeons to optimize patients for a laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) procedures and fitting of multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs). The Pupillometer can simulate scotopic, low mesopic and high mesopic light conditions and measure them in one run of 10 seconds. This makes it possible to customize pupil dependent IOLs better to patient preferences. A golf pro who needs to see best during day light or a radiologist who is reporting from a dimly lit room can be tested for their personal needs.
The Pupillometer measures pupil sizes in a range from 1mm to 9mm with an accuracy of 0.1mm. The average pupil aperture and standard deviation can be calculated. Random uncontrolled fluctuations and the vertex distance, which can vary up to 12mm in the normal population, will be compensated. Because it may be hard for a clinician’s eye to estimate pupil size by a single picture, the Pupillometer records 3 seconds to overcome small continuous oscillations and presents an average size. Data is stored on the device, while results and a video of the measurement can be displayed on the screen or printed.
iExaminer for iPhone 4 Liberates Fundus Exams
Ophthalmoscopes are widely used to help diagnose a variety of conditions, but much like traditional microscopes they can only be used by one person at a time and sharing what one sees requires, as the old saying goes, a thousand words.
The iExaminer from Intuitive Medical Technologies in Shreveport, Louisiana is a simple iPhone 4 attachment for the popular Welch Allyn PanOptic ophthalmoscope that lets you do fundus exams and share videos and images right from the iPhone.
OptiMedica’s Catalys Precision Laser System for Cataracts Gets CE Mark of Approval
Cataract surgery is a common procedure these days, yet current methods still require the surgeon to exercise manual precision. Santa Clara, CA-based OptiMedica Corp. claims that its newly CE marked Catalys Precision Laser System will help increase the precision of cataract procedures with its combination of a femtosecond laser and integrated optical coherence tomography (OCT).
The Catalys’ OCT system automatically detects the surfaces of the patient’s lens and cornea to ensure safe and accurate delivery of laser pulses, and the company’s proprietary Liquid Optics Interface maintains a large clear optical path for the OCT imaging, laser pulse delivery, and real-time video.
Video Games Help Improve Vision of Adults With Amblyopia
As if middle-aged nerds don’t already have reason enough to move out of their parents’ basements, a pilot study released by the University of California, Berkeley may keep them staring at their screens even longer. That’s because the Cal research…
NIDEK Gets FDA Clearance for a New Multicolor Pattern Scan Laser Photocoagulator
The MC-500 Vixi by NIDEK is a photocoagulator with customizable use of one, two or three different wavelengths. The operator can choose the best color or combination of colors for treatment of varying ocular pathology. The device supports the mostly used colors 532 nm Green, 577 nm Yellow, or 647 nm Red . To get the best results you can choose your wavelengths for each condition. Green is most common for treating retinal pathology, yellow for lesions close to the macula and red for photocoagulation of deep choroidal pathology.
The device comes with 14 preprogrammed scan patterns for all types of retinal pathology. The size of the scan spot is continuously variable from 100 to 500 µm. This enables the eye-surgeon to easily compensate for changes due to laser contact lenses.
Eyeborg Project Leader Looks at the Future of Prosthetics and Implants
The Eyeborg Project, a collaboration between Rob Spence, a filmmaker who lost his right eye in an accident, and Kosta Grammatis, an unemployed engineer, combines biomedical engineering and art in a device that not only seeks to revolutionize ocular prostheses, but also will record the world in a perspective never seen before. The Eyeborg is a prosthetic eye equipped with a tiny video camera. It isn’t meant to replace Rob’s vision like a retinal prosthesis, but allows him to “lifecast” the world around him to the public.
As a filmmaker and an inventor whose innovative device falls at the intersection of biomedical sciences and art, Rob was approached by video game producer Square Enix to help promote their upcoming game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution. In the game, Adam, the main character, has been equipped with various prostheses, implants, and other futuristic biomedical technology to make him a superior fighter. Rob has produced a short documentary that explores just how far biomedical engineering is from the futuristic technology presented in the video game. You may recognize a lot of devices that we’ve covered here at Medgadget!
Landmark 8 Millionth U.S. Patent Awarded to Second Sight Medical’s Retinal Prosthesis
On July 31, 1790, the first United States patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins for a process for making potash. Millions of patents have been issued in the 221 years since, many of them related to medical devices and technologies. This week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced the awarding of the 8 millionth patent – a medical device!
We’ve covered this device extensively before – it’s Second Sight Medical’s Argus II retinal prosthesis.
iPhone-Based Device Monitors Macular Degeneration
A new iPhone app could enable patients with degenerative eye diseases to track their vision loss at home. Known as myVisionTrack, the technology allows patients with diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration to accurately check their vision in less than 90 seconds, according to its developers. myVisionTrack is designed specifically to treat patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, which together are the cause of much of the blindness in the world.
“Many patients do not have timely eye exams and end up suffering preventable vision loss,” explained Dr. Yu-Guang He, an associate professor of ophthalmology at UT Southwestern in a press release. “Careful self-monitoring is critical because treatment for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy is most effective when given at precise stages in the disease’s progression.”
Gold and Lasers May Help Restore Vision to Many
At Australia’s Swinburne University of Technology research is underway to develop a method of activating optic nerves by laser stimulation. The idea is to embed gold nanoparticles within the eye that can then be excited by lasers from within a pair of glasses. If successful, this technology will help people suffering from eye diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.
The researchers are looking for a non-contact method of stimulating nerves and are exploring the use of laser light, rather than the direct electrical stimulation techniques that have become the conventional approach.
San Francisco Artist Seeks Funding for a Prosthetic Eye Camera
Tanya Vlach, a San Francisco based artist, lost her left eye in a car accident in 2005. She was given an ocular prosthesis to use, however, the prosthetic eye offers only cosmetic benefits since it’s just a dumb device meant to look like an eye.
Fascinated by advances in medical technology, she researched possible solutions to make her artificial eye a little more functional. With the help of engineers, she came up with a novel idea of installing a miniature, self-contained camera in her ocular prosthesis. Such an enterprise is not only an engineering challenge, but a costly venture, so Vlach decided to go with the popular Kickstarter funding platform to seek help from the masses. Vlach has a list of intraocular camera specifications, as well as a wish list of features she’d like to see if she is able to get funding.
Pediatric Vision Scanner Detects “Lazy Eye” Earlier
Lazy eye, or ambylopia, is the leading cause of vision loss in childhood, but it can be difficult to detect in small children who are unable to reliably use eye charts. A new handheld scanning device identifies this ocular anomaly at the early stages, when it can be treated most effectively.
The test, which incorporates a low-power laser and takes only 2.5 seconds, scans the child’s eyes to measure their alignment.
LipiFlow for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Evaporative Dry Eye Gets Cleared in U.S.
TearScience has received FDA clearance for its LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System that works on meibomian glands to promote the release of lipids to the tear film. The procedure is performed at the doctor’s office and takes about 12 minutes for each eye. LipiFlow delivers heat to the inner eyelid and massage to the outside, which helps unblock the flow of lipids from the cystic meibomian glands.
From the press release: