Contact lens embedded sensor for ocular hypertension and glaucoma monitoring
Glaucoma affects over 70 million people worldwide (>12 million in Europe), and this number is expected to grow steadily to reach 111 million by 2040. Glaucoma is a chronic condition with no permanent cure and is the second leading cause of blindness. It significantly reduces the quality of life and presents a heavy burden on healthcare systems. Its most prominent and stealthy form, namely open-angle glaucoma, is mainly caused by chronic ocular hypertension (high intraocular pressure [IOP]). Conventional methods used to diagnose elevated IOP, monitor the progression of glaucoma and create treatment algorithms rely on a single IOP measurement conducted at the clinic. Due to the diurnal cycle of IOP, conventional methods do not provide sufficient and reliable information to evaluate the condition of the patients accurately. GlakoLens has been developing a non-invasive contact lens embedded sensor system that will aid medical professionals to overcome this issue by continuous 24-hour monitorization of the IOP changes. GlakoLens' proprietary technology (1 granted and 3 pending international patents) based on years of cutting-edge scientific research enables superior features for the patient (better comfort, electrical and mechanical safety, and full field-of-view) at a fraction of the cost of the only direct competitor in the market while providing better measurement accuracy and reliability. Four more indirect competitors have recognised the need in the market and are developing products using different technologies to address this need. According to a report by Marketscope, IOP monitoring market is expected to reach €1.5 billion by 2021. Glakolens plans to enter the market by the end of 2022, with estimated revenues equal to about €294.6 million in 2026.