Future of ophthalmic care

Philippines Nurses-led remote eye-screening model

Early detection of Diabetic Retinopathy is crucial in providing timely clinical intervention to control loss of vision in Diabetes patients. Our Cloud-based Digital Healthcare Platform allows eye care hospitals in Philippines to deploy cameras to diagnostic labs for screening patients. Retina photographs captured by the cameras are reviewed by certified ophthalmic nurses and efficiently monitored by ophthalmologists. If needed, patients are subsequently referred to the nearest eye hospitals for a complete visual examination.

The Result: This remote screening model has equipped diagnostic labs with an eye-care solution that serves more people, even in the absence of in-house experts and enabled eye hospitals.

Mexico The twin babies who were born too early

A set of twin babies born prematurely were admitted to the NICU of a hospital in Mexico. These neonates were examined with our 3nethra neo camera. The eye examination revealed that both of them had the presence of Plus Disease, a potentially sight-threatening ROP that requires intervention within 24–48 hours to avoid irreversible blindness. Doctors immediately informed the parents and suggested remedial procedures. Within 24 hours the condition was reversed, thus reducing the risk of blindness.

The Result: An effective and affordable eye-screening tool was able to save the sight of the neonates, making it a mandatory device in NICUs for the early detection and subsequent screening of ROP in preterm babies.

India Eye screening on wheels

Urban slums are characterized by unique challenging living conditions, which increase the inhabitants' vulnerability to health conditions. Active screening and point-of-care diagnostics in the community can play a major role in improving the health situation of the residents. Forus Health technology solutions have improved the access to eye care in low-income communities by reducing the challenges. An optometrist can today carry the device on a motorcycle, navigate through narrow streets and visit inaccessible parts of the slums to perform regular tests and counseling.

The Result: Timely and accessible eye care is now available at the point of need.

Guatemala Community Health Programs

Guatemala is one of the most economically challenged nations in Latin America, with an underdeveloped public healthcare system. Lack of access to quality eye care has resulted in an estimated 80,000 people going blind due to Cataract alone. Further, 80% of blindness in the country is caused by preventable diseases. Forus Health works with innovative social enterprises in Guatemala City to provide last-mile care to those in need through extensive high-quality Community Health Programs.

The Result: Quality care for patients through timely identification of the risk of blindness.

Mexico Taking eye care to diagnostic labs

In Mexico, most people are unaware of eye problems because they lack access to effective eye care programs. With 9 million people suffering from visual impairment, blindness is the second most-common cause of disability in Mexico (mostly as a result of Cataract and Diabetic Retinopathy). Diabetes affects 16% of the adult population in Mexico and 30% of all cases of blindness in Mexico are due to Diabetic Retinopathy. Cataract accounts to 40% of all cases of blindness. Through inclusive business models, our partners in Mexico have been able to introduce Forus Health technology and Cloud solutions in mid–low income, high-density areas, and diagnostic labs across Mexico City.

The Result: We have enabled early detection of avoidable eye problems.

India Mass ROP screening program

Karnataka Internet Assisted Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity (KIDROP) is a non-profit infant blindness prevention, detection, and treatment program. They screen infants for, but not limited to, Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) — a potentially blinding condition that affects premature infants. This is especially done in underserved and remote rural areas, by skilled technicians, and passionate tele-medicine and ROP experts. The program uses eight 3nethra neo wide-field imaging systems to conduct eye screening programs in more than 30 government NICUs in Karnataka state.

The Result: Cost-effective, timely detection of early stages of ROP, which is reducing the burden of infant blindness on society.

Ethiopia Research program to determine prevalence of blindness

Eye care is a major health issue in low-income countries, where 90% of the cases are related to blindness. Ethiopia is infamous for having the highest rate of blindness in the world, with 1.6% of the population suffering from blindness. 80% of this is due to preventable causes, such as Cataract and Trachomatous Corneal Opacity, but there is no data to accurately estimate cause and prevalence of blindness in the country. Through a DFID/FICCI-funded pilot project, Forus Health has deployed eight 3nethra classic cameras in the suburbs of Addis Ababa, which will go a long way in determining the prevalence of blindness in specific regions. It will also help in generating data to help national blindness-prevention programs address the issue of blindness more effectively.
(On-going project)

Myanmar CMV screening in AIDS clinics

Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common Herpes-like virus can affect people with weakened immune systems. This can cause a vision-threatening eye infection called Retinitis, which is the leading cause of blindness in people with advanced HIV. CMV Retinitis is an AIDS-defining condition. The unique ability of 3nethra classic to capture extreme periphery images of the retina in non-mydriatic and mydriatic conditions makes it an ideal tool for the detection of CMV infection in HIV patients. An AIDS clinic in Myanmar has been successfully using Forus Health cameras for the early detection of CMV infection.

The Result: Effective and timely management of AIDS.

India Largest public eye-care service

The Mukhyamantri e-Eye Kendram is a new last-mile healthcare initiative by the Government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and is the first-of-its-kind service in India. The AP Government has established 115 Community Health Centers to provide the most advance, free eye-care services including performing minor surgeries and giving out eye-related medicines and spectacles free. Forus Health has partnered with Apollo Tele-health Services to provide fundus imaging and technology infrastructure — Cloud-based Digital Healthcare Platform. This initiative has been hailed as one of the top healthcare reforms in the country, giving people access to quality eye care.

The Result:In its first 6 months of operations itself, 400,000 people were screened, 250,000 spectacles were supplied, and more than 15,000 people were identified with eye diseases.