Cost-Effective OCT Detection of Vision-Threatening Macular Edema

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): I The overall goal of the proposed SBIR program is to implement and evaluate a low cost, portable retinal camera, the Digital Light Ophthalmoscope (DLO), with retinal thickness measurement functionality provided by optical coherence tomography (OCT). The combined DLO-OCT system will cost-effectively identify patients with vision-threatening macular edema for referral and treatment. Vision loss due to untreated macular edema has reached epidemic levels and is the resultof a wide variety of conditions, including diabetes and other retinal vascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, retinal traction, and complications of cataract surgery. To fully address this issue, screening tools from the community clinic to the ophthalmic exam lane must include quantitative retinal thickness measurements to seamlessly lead patients to vision-saving treatment. In response to the ever-growing costs and disparities in eye care, Aeon Imaging has proposed a novel retinal imaging device,