I-Corps: Image processing software and slit lamp device for use in optometry

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a smart slit lamp. In clinical optometry, the use of slit-lamp microscopes is indispensable. Approximately 104 million regular eye exams are performed annually using a slit lamp. In the presence of specialized devices, the slit lamp is still widely used by optometrists across the globe for its flexibility. There are many tests that can be performed using the device, however, due to its time-consuming nature in clinical practice the number of tests performed is currently limited. The proposed smart slit-lamp device may allow optometrists to perform multiple tests in a much shorter time and help to identify and diagnose diseases that are not currently being observed using traditional manual analysis. The proposed smart slit lamp may provide access to improved eye care and further research in the field of optometry. This I-Corps project is based on the development of imaging technologies and image analysis software for slit lamps used in optometry. In optometry, the slit lamp microscope is an essential device that is used to look at the interior of the human eye. Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and eye bank technicians use these microscopes regularly to observe the health of different parts of the human eye. Current slit lamps come in two forms: analog and digital. However, current slit lamps do not provide image analysis software or automation. The proposed technology is designed to provide a digital slit lamp with both imaging and image analysis capabilities and more automatic operation, which may minimize human intervention and save time while making the diagnosis more objective. Preliminary work has shown that the proposed technology may provide a consistent, accurate, and objective measure that will lead to improved eye care.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.