Vision technology continues to grow and define itself in fascinating ways.
How are you seeing growth in vision-related companies, an area that has previously appeared more stagnant?
The eyes are a window into full-body health and new technology-driven shifts further underscore the role that vision care plays in a person’s ability to be and stay healthy. The VSP® Global Innovation Center, along with its partners at SXSW, highlighted 10 vision trends that are transforming healthcare and introduced several startups emblematic of the forces shaping the industry’s future.
While vision may not be the first area to think of when it comes to healthcare startups, there are ... [+]
5 Ways Vision Trends Are Reshaping Health Brands
1) The Eyes are a Window into Full-Body Health
According to research from market intelligence platform CB Insights, AI-enabled screening technologies, companies using artificial intelligence for the automated detection of various eye conditions and diseases, have raised over $1.8 billion in equity funding since 2020.
Recent developments in the field of artificial intelligence have advanced what can be detected during an eye exam. AI startups focusing on the role of eyes in disease detection include RetiSpec, which uses AI to help identify early signs of Alzheimer’s, and Toku Eyes, which has developed software to help assess heart risk using a retinal scan.
2) Smart Eyewear Accelerates Better Health
The prevalence of wearable tech ushered in the term Quantified Self, which involves self-tracking, measurement, and activation of personal health and behavioral information. Within smart eyewear, new sensors (especially those that are AI -enabled) can now take Quantified Self a bit further with more timely and meaningful personal data.
San Francisco-based Ciye has developed smart glasses that serve as a virtual coach, providing real-time feedback and insights on the user's training. The startup also makes smart goggles that use embedded sensors to track and measure a swimmer's workouts.
3) Aesthetics Bring The 'Health Spa' To Optical
Once seen as a niche category, aesthetics-focused vision care practices are gaining traction as patients are becoming more focused on the appearance of their eyes. Whether offering Intense Pulse Light (IPL) therapy to help reduce skin pigmentation or applying radiofrequency to help reduce wrinkles around the eyelids, the introduction of cosmetic services in eye care practices underscores the desire for more aesthetic-based services from patients.
In 2020, the FDA approved Upneeq, a prescription eye drop from RVL Pharmaceuticals that optometrists can apply to patients looking to improve the cosmetic appearance of droopy eyelids.
4) Accessibility Tech is a Bridge to Wider Adoption
Technologists are harnessing augmented and mixed reality to better help individuals with low vision better navigate their surroundings. Many assistive technologies, like text-to-speech and closed captioning, are seen as on-ramps to wider market adoption. Smart eyewear designed for those with vision and hearing impairment could lead to applications that enable a larger subset to improve individual productivity in the future.
As an industry leader in providing access to vision care, VSP Vision™ is constantly monitoring the pulse of healthcare transformation. The VSP® Global Innovation Center recently published the Emerging Technology for Accessibility guide, a resource for innovators navigating the trends advancing assistive technologies. The guide is intended to spark conversation, encourage the use of inclusive design principles, and advance understanding of accessibility, low vision, and the emerging assistive device category.
Elon Musk account on Twitter and Neuralink emblem displayed on a screen in the bacground are seen in ... [+]
5) The Bionic Eye Makes Science Fiction A Reality
Launched by a co-founder of Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain chip startup, the Science Eye is a visual prosthesis and brain-computer platform that aims to restore sight in individuals suffering from blindness caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
While the idea of integrating electronics into the human body for medical treatment has been around for decades, applications to and for the eye have remained nascent. However, research has accelerated in recent years that is making the "Bionic Eye," an electronic prosthesis that is surgically inserted into the eye, a potential reality.