Successful trial for sight loss prevention technology

Ocular conditions such as AMD (age-related macular degeneration), retinal vein occlusion, and diabetic macular oedema affect around 400 million people, putting them at risk of blindness. AMD is the largest cause of sight loss in the UK, affecting over 700,000 people and in 2023 the NHS reported that ophthalmology accounted for almost 10 per cent of its waiting list.

Now, a cohort of patients suffering from AMD have become the first in the world to successfully use Siloton’s Akepa device, a first-generation optical coherence tomography (OCT) chip that imaged their retinas to identify the presence and progression of AMD.

The company said the trial represents the first time patients have used the technology in any setting, with the results verified by an independent optometrist.

Akepa has been designed to work as part of a binocular-style system that patients can use in community centres or at home, instead of having to attend hospital appointments or begin treatment – which often involves injecting drugs directly into the eye – before it is absolutely necessary.