Through IMCUSTOMEYE, a novel, non-invasive, label-free, imaging-based diagnostic tool is being developed, creating a change in the paradigm for diagnosis and treatment of vision-threatening conditions such as keratoconus, myopia, glaucoma, cataract and presbyopia.
The prevalence of these conditions ranges between 0.05% (keratoconus) to 100% (presbyopia, in the >50 yr old population). This customised approach will lead to significant improvement in both the treatment and cost of eye healthcare.
State-of-the-Art
IMCUSTOMEYE will couple Optical Coherence Tomography with dynamic imaging of the cornea to assess its biomechanical properties and bring this technology into the clinic with portable instrumentation. For the first time, it will be possible to characterise the ocular mechanical behaviour in vivo using a cost-effective imaging technology that provides results in almost real time. The techniques will enable the construction of patient-specific models that can predict with high accuracy the mechanical response of eyes to disease and treatment.
Solving Challenges
- How to image the cornea in vivo in three-dimensions at high resolution and at high speed, in response to a dynamic loading?
- How to develop a compact and affordable OCT device that embodies imaging and predictive modelling technologies?,
- How to customise/optimise ocular treatments using the new technologies?
Overall Approach
The Project is structured along three main interconnected axes:
- novel imaging technology
- opto-mechanical modelling based on quantitative imaging data
- customised diagnostic/treatment tool