Call for Ideas: Innovative Technology to Reduce Visual Impairment & Blindness

BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Seva Foundation is proud to announce the winners of its 2020 Call For Ideas to identify innovative technology-based solutions to improve eye care delivery. The Berkeley-based vision care humanitarian organization has committed up to $250k to spark innovation in technology to transform lives by restoring sight.

This year's winners are as follows:

• Aravind Eye Care System, India. Aravind, along with Oregon Health & Science University, USA, seeks to develop artificial intelligence assisted Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) screenings on multiple lower-cost camera systems, so that other health systems can implement AI-assisted telemedicine with minimal capital investment.
• Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, India. Dr. Shroff's aims to upgrade existing software to be cloud-based, allowing for remote monitoring of clinical quality and referral from Vision Centers to hospitals.
• LV Prasad Eye Institute, India. LVPEI and the Global Alliance for Medical Innovation, Harvard University, are developing a smartphone-based system to diagnose corneal disease, prescribe treatment, and help prevent it in some patients.
• University of Washington, Bothell, USA. UW Bothell is developing the Neuro-Optometric (N-OD) Toolbox, a cloud-based package of software that provides secure and effective training, helps coordinate electronic medical records, facilitates collaboration between eye clinics, and allows for remote treatment interventions. UW Bothell will make the N-OD Toolbox available to other clinics once it has developed server and support infrastructure.
• Visualiza Clínica de Ojos, Guatemala. Visualiza seeks to integrate its telemedicine services with an app. The project will send images taken at Vision Centers and school screenings to the main hospital for diagnoses and prescriptions for treatment. The app will also provide information, process payment, remind patients about appointments, and help them manage chronic eye diseases.

Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment, and of these, 1 billion people have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. 

"For over four decades, Seva has invested in and used cutting edge technology to deliver world-class care for people in need," says Kate Moynihan, Executive Director of Seva Foundation. "Through our Global Sight Network, these innovations will help us to further extend our reach, and transform more lives than ever before."

"With this support from Seva Foundation, we are excited to explore whether artificial intelligence can be applied to low-cost camera systems," says Dr. Parag Shah of Aravind. "This could help us achieve the goal of eliminating blindness from ROP in India and around the world."

About Seva

Seva is a global nonprofit eye care organization that transforms lives by restoring sight and preventing blindness. Since 1978, Seva has provided sight-saving surgeries, eyeglasses, medicine, and other eye care services to more than 44 million people in underserved communities around the world. We work with partners in more than 20 different countries around the world, including the USA. To find out more, visit www.seva.org or email programs@seva.org.

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SOURCE Seva Foundation