Vivior, a Swiss digital health startup, that utilizes machine-learning algorithms in its wearable device to track the visual needs of patients, has recently closed an investment round with private investors from Europe and the US.
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A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye which causes poor vision. The condition develops slowly and can affect one or both eyes. For people with cataracts, seeing through cloudy lenses is like looking through a fogged-up window. Symptoms may include blurry vision, faded colors, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and trouble seeing at night. People with cataract find it difficult to drive, read, or recognizing faces. Poor vision caused by cataracts also increases the risk of falling and depression. Cataracts cause half of all cases of blindness and 33% of visual impairment worldwide.
Cataract affects more than 22 million Americans aged 40 and older. And as the U.S. population ages, more than 30 million Americans are expected to have cataracts by the year 2020.
The standard treatment involves implanting an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). Currently, ophthalmic surgeons rely on patient interviews for selecting the power and type of IOL. However, an inaccurate choice can lead to negative outcome for the patient.
A novel wearable system developed by Vivior collects daily activity data from patients, processes these data in the cloud and analyses patient’s lifestyle patterns using machine-learning algorithms.
Surgeons can use this combination of data to offer optimal personalized solutions to their patients which may lead to active patient engagement and increased patient satisfaction.
“We will look back in 5 years’ time and wonder how we ever managed to treat patients without objective data,” says Arthur Cumming MD, eye surgeon at the Wellington Eye Clinic and former President of the American European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery.
Vance Thompson MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, said he wants to use the Vivior system every day to help educate his patients on how they use their vision. “Understanding the exact distances and how much time spent at each distance will help them choose the best premium implant for their life long vision decision,” he said.
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With several million dollars raised, Vivior will finalize the currently running clinical study to evaluate the usability of its system and measure market acceptance. Based on the clinical study results, Vivior plans to register the system in Europe and the US, offering it to clinics, surgeons and patients.
About Vivior
Vivior, a Swiss digital health startup was founded by a group of experienced eye care professionals in 2017. The company is well known for its wearable device for eye care that uses machine-learning algorithms to track the visual needs of patients in their daily life.
