An innovative automated eye drop dispenser aid for the self-administration of eye drops to increase independence in the ageing population, improve eye health outcomes and reduce NHS/social care costs

眼科药物是独特的，因为它通常是作为眼药水自行施用。然而，滴眼液的应用是一个重大挑战，特别是对老年患者。研究表明，超过50%的患者实际上漏掉了眼睛，20%的人无法用足够的力量挤瓶子，需要别人为他们滴眼药水。由于瓶子设计和治疗方案的多样性，到目前为止，除了地区护士投入或偶尔住院外，还没有找到其他解决方案。对于那些负担得起的人，偶尔会雇佣私人护工。如果没有社会关怀的投入，这些患者中的许多人将错过重要的药物治疗，这可能导致进行性视力丧失，并带来相关的健康和经济负担。失明对一个人的生活有严重的负面影响，影响到他们的工作、社会生活和身心健康。不适当的drop应用给NHS和社会保健预算带来了巨大的成本。当这与相关的次优临床护理相结合时，包括医院就诊次数增加和治疗升级，以及视力障碍，成本要高得多。英国人口老龄化的长期人口趋势意味着，在未来20年里，预计白内障手术将增加50%，青光眼病例将增加44%，更多的患者将需要地区护士的帮助。为了应对这一挑战，我们开发了一种新颖的设备来帮助人们自行滴眼液。我们设计了世界上第一台全自动滴眼液机。这种手持设备将使即使是最虚弱的病人也能安全、准确地自行使用眼药水。我们的设备将是同类产品中的第一个，旨在克服与自我滴眼液相关的主要挑战。研究表明，自我管理的障碍既有身体上的，也有认知上的，我们的设备是第一个解决这些患者所有问题的设备。该装置将降低视力丧失的风险，使老年患者能够继续过着充实的独立生活，为社会做出贡献，并在不依赖他人的情况下控制自己的眼睛健康。使所有人都更容易获得滴眼液，有助于减少有能力自行用药或支付私人护理费用的人与没有能力的人之间在眼保健方面的不平等。

Eye medication is unique as it is usually self-administered as eye drops. Eye drop application, however, presents a major challenge, particularly for older patients. Studies show that over 50% of patients actually miss their eye and 20% of people cannot apply sufficient force to squeeze the bottle, requiring someone else to apply the drops for them. Due to the variety of bottle designs and treatment regimes, so far no solution has been found other than district nurse input, or occasionally hospital admission. For those who can afford it, private carers are occasionally employed.Without social care input, many of these patients would miss vital medication, which could result in progressive sight loss and the associated health and economic burden. Sight loss has a severe negative impact on a person's life, affecting their work, social life, physical and mental health.Improper drop application presents a huge cost to the NHS and social care budgets. When this is combined with associated sub-optimal clinical care, including increased hospital visits and escalation of treatment, as well as visual impairment, the cost is far higher.The long-term demographic trend of an ageing UK population means that over the next 20 years, a 50% increase in cataract surgery and 44% rise in glaucoma cases are forecasted and many more patients will be requiring district nurse input. To meet this challenge, we have developed a novel device to aid the self-administration of eye drops.We have designed the world's first fully automated eye drop dispenser. This handheld device will enable even the frailest of patients to safely and accurately self-administer their own eye drops. Our device will be the first of its kind and has been designed to overcome the major challenges associated with the self-administration of eye drops. Research has shown barriers to self-administration to be both physical and cognitive and our device is the first to address every issue that these patients have.This device will reduce the risk of sight loss, allowing elderly patients to continue to live fulfilled independent lives, contribute to society, and take control of their own eye health without relying on others. Making drop application more accessible to all helps to reduce inequalities in eye health between those that have the ability to apply their own medication or pay for private carers, and those that cannot.