I-Corps: Intraocular Pressure Sensor

该项目的目标是开发一种新型的基于光学的压力传感器，允许频繁或连续地监测眼压(IOP)。高眼压仍然是青光眼的主要危险因素，因为它与视神经损伤和不可逆性失明有关。对于全世界约6000万患有这种疾病的人来说，仔细监测和降低眼压对于缓解进一步的视力丧失和视神经恶化至关重要。目前的标准护理包括在办公室就诊时进行常规眼压测量，只能提供患者眼压概况的快照。这种不常见的测量不足以完全代表和描述疾病的模式。为了改善青光眼护理和确定治疗方法的有效性，需要连续可靠的眼压数据来更好地了解眼压升高和视神经损伤之间的关系。总体而言，所研究的技术将使医生能够优化和个性化患者的治疗方案，并使研究人员更好地了解青光眼的自然历史。该项目的范围包括设计一种传感器，用于定期或连续地直接测量眼压。正在开发的植入型设备利用光反射率的变化来感知压力。使用摄像机捕捉传感器对压力变化的响应，然后可以使用图像处理算法对获得的图像进行分析以确定压力分布。在初步的台式结果中，已经观察到传感器的光学外观和施加压力之间的直接关联。通过模拟压力环境的初步实验，获得了低至1毫米汞柱的压力读数的分辨率。随着传感器组件材料选择的改进，随着设计的优化，传感器的灵敏度可能会继续增加。该项目的具体目标包括：(1)利用MEMS(微型机电系统)制造将传感器微型化到亚毫米尺寸，(2)在体外模型中评估传感器的性能，以及(3)开发图像处理算法。这些目标包括一种迭代设计方法，以优化传感器设计参数，并通过严格的测试验证可靠性、制造方法和结果。最终，凭借捕捉眼压波动的能力，该项目开发的技术将有助于青光眼诊断和治疗的进步。

The objective of this project is to develop a novel optical-based pressure sensor that allows for monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP) on a frequent or continuous basis. Elevated IOP continues to be the primary risk factor for glaucoma due to its association with optic nerve damage and irreversible blindness. For approximately 60 million people worldwide suffering from this disease, careful monitoring and lowering of eye pressure are essential to mitigating further loss of vision and optic nerve deterioration. Current standard care, which involves routine IOP measurements during office visits, can only provide snapshots of the patient's IOP profile. Such infrequent measurements are inadequate to fully represent and characterize the patterns of the disease. In order to improve glaucoma care and determine the effectiveness of therapeutic treatments, there is a need for continuous and reliable IOP data to better understand the relationship between elevated eye pressure and optic nerve damage. Overall, the investigated technology will allow physicians to optimize and personalize treatment plans for patients and provide researchers with improved understanding of the natural history of glaucoma.The scope of the project involves designing a sensor for direct measurement of intraocular pressure on a regular or continuous basis. The implantable device being developed utilizes changes in light reflectance to sense pressure. A camera is used to capture the sensor response to pressure variations and the obtained images can then be analyzed to determine the pressure profile using image-processing algorithms. A direct correlation between the sensor's optical appearance and applied pressure has been observed in preliminary benchtop results. Resolution of the pressure reading as low as 1 mmHg has been obtained from initial experimentation in a simulated pressure environment. With improved material selection for sensor components, it is likely that the sensitivity of the sensor will continue to increase as the design is optimized. The specific goals of the project include: (1) miniaturization of the sensor to sub-millimeter size using MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) fabrication, (2) evaluation of sensor performance in ex-vivo models and (3) development of image-processing algorithms. These goals involve an iterative design approach to optimize the sensor design parameters and validate reliability, fabrication methods and results through rigorous testing. Ultimately, with the ability to capture IOP fluctuations, the technology developed in this project will contribute to advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.