OccuLook - a non-invasive blood glucose meter for diabetes care

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Diabetes is a long-term disease that occurs when the pancreas stops making insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin that is produced. People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing serious health problems including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputationDiabetes is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the world. The International Diabetes Federation says that 463 million people now live with the condition and that number will grow to 700 million by 2045\. According to Public Health England there are currently 4.5 million people in the UK with diabetes and the cost of treatment is £10 billion per year; nearly 10 per cent of the NHS's entire budget.Self-monitoring of blood glucose is essential to maintain healthy glucose levels. The main method involves pricking the finger with a needle and putting the blood obtained on a test strip. Worldwide more than 44 million tests are performed daily, at a global cost of over $14 billion per annum. By making these measurements patients are able to adjust their diet and medication.Despite the measurement need, the finger stick method is widely disliked as:* It is invasive and carries the risk of infection* Continuous pricking of the fingers causes hard skin* The process is not pain free* It has an ongoing cost of around £400 per patient per year.The purpose of this project is therefore to develop a non-invasive meter that will replace finger sticks. The instrument will overcome the problems highlighted above by using light to analyse the fluid in the eye. This fluid is primarily blood serum so has a glucose composition directly related to that of blood and, as the eye is transparent, it is possible to measure it optically.The Occuity team have previously developed prototype meters and performed clinical trials that gave very promising results. The previous measurement technique, however, looked at an effect of glucose changes on the eye and was subject to variability due to other changes. A new technique has now been invented that measures direct changes of glucose level and therefore has the potential to be significantly more accurate. The purpose of this initial project phase, for which a SMART grant is being requested, is to review market and user needs, build a prototype meter that uses this new technique and to prepare for a clinical evaluation.