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YVR Entrepreneur (and former SFU PhD Student) to be Recognized for Developing First-of-its-Kind Futuristic Eye Exam Headset
Friday, June 9, 2017
Yaser Roshan, CEO, Ophthalight Digital Solutions Inc.
Mobile unit enables remote eye testing, early detection of common diseases
Vancouver, BC, June 9, 2017--(T-Net)--The days of placing your chin in a manually operated device at the eye doctor's office or following a swinging flashlight with your eyes may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to the ground-breaking work of a Vancouver start-up that is making routine eye exams as easy as putting on a futuristic looking head set.
Ophthalight Digital Solutions is set to go to market this summer with O-Glass, a first-of-its-kind digital eye care solution that not only makes it possible to treat patients remotely — a first for teleophthalmology — but also improves the speed and accuracy of administering common tests, leading to early detection and prevention of diseases such as glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and eye cancer.
At an awards ceremony on June 8 in Toronto, the entrepreneur behind the breakthrough — Yaser Roshan, a former PhD student at Simon Fraser University who went on to co-found Ophthalight in 2014 — will be presented the Mitacs Next 150 Entrepreneur Award and $5,000 in recognition of the ongoing success of his start-up.
“This is a company that is on track to positively impact the lives of Canadians for the next 150 years by making highly accurate and automated mobile eye examinations a reality,” said Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director of Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization that partners companies, government and academia to promote Canadian research and training.
Ophthalight's flagship product, O-GlassLite, is an easy-to-use, lightweight, wireless device that looks similar to a virtual reality headset, conveniently fitting over a patient's head. It applies the latest digital imaging techniques to accurately and consistently detect the smallest abnormalities in eyes, including those that are impossible to see with the human eye using conventional optometry methods. Diagnostic results are automatically sent to secure online servers and integrate with existing electronic health record or telemedicine platforms, making O-Glass a truly digital platform built for the next-generation of healthcare delivery.
“We're filling the gaps in the current eye care services market by providing a simple, digital alternative to conventional eye exam practices,” said Roshan, who co-founded Ophthalight along with Dr. Amirhossein Vejdani, and holds the position of CEO.
The technology behind O-Glass represents a paradigm shift in current testing methods, he added. “We're reducing the time and cost required to administer eye tests by as much as 60 percent,” Roshan said. “At the same time, we're offering a convenient solution that opens the door for doctors to serve patients remotely, an area that is currently under-served by telemedicine platforms on the market today.”
Expected to launch in the Middle East this summer and in Canada by the end of the year, O-Glass is in its second round of clinical trials. Early results indicate the device is able to diagnose and document cases with high accuracy. In one instance, a patient received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and was able to seek early intervention.
“She had a condition that three different eye doctors missed,” said Roshan, noting the ultimate goal is to help improve, and in some cases save, lives. “Our device detected a slight unnatural pupillary response, indicating the need for a follow-up MRI, and she's now undergoing life-changing treatment.”
Moving forward, Ophthalight Digital Solutions plans to introduce a more comprehensive version of the headset, called O-GlassPro, which will offer more capabilities than a slit lamp — the most common device used by eye doctors worldwide — by using novel light projection techniques to stimulate the eye with multiple colours and patterns. Although it can detect 80 percent of all eye diseases, a slit lamp — which requires patients to place their chin on a ledge and look straight ahead while the doctor looks through the other side — is cumbersome to use and requires human intervention.
“When using a slit lamp, doctors need to be aware of their own posture and manually record what they observe,” explained Roshan. “By automating the process, we're providing a higher degree of accuracy and objectivity.”
The company is also investigating the possibility of applying the technology behind O-Glass to help law enforcement officers administer DUI tests in the future by examining drivers' eyes.
Roshan is one of five winners of an Entrepreneur Award, presented by Mitacs (www.mitacs.ca), who were evaluated according to their ability to demonstrate sound business plans, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to continued excellence in innovation.
“Mitacs is building on Canada's strengthened commitment to technology and innovation by continuing to support up-and-coming entrepreneurs,” said Adem. “Mitacs' programs equip researchers with the career skills they need to successfully transfer breakthrough technologies, community and educational improvements, and environmental solutions from the lab to the business world.”