Low cost non-mydriatic fundus camera

• Grant number: 18/21873-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: June 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Product Engineering
• Agreement: FINEP - PIPE/PAPPE Grant
• Principal Investigator: Silvio Antonio Tonissi Júnior
• Grantee: Silvio Antonio Tonissi Júnior
• Company: Eyetec Equipamentos Oftalmicos Indústria, Comércio Importação e Exportação Ltda. - EPP
• CNAE: Fabricação de equipamentos e instrumentos ópticos, fotográficos e cinematográficos
• City: São Carlos
• Associated researchers: André Orlandi de Oliveira ; Fatima Maria Mitsue Yasuoka ; Jarbas Caiado de Castro Neto

Abstract

Fundus imaging is a non-invasive method used to diagnose eye diseases such as retinal detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma. For this reason, fundus cameras are useful. Unfortunately, more than 900 million people present some visual impairment, although the World Health Organization (WHO) affirms that 80% of these cases could be treated or prevented if only people were submitted to screening tests, such as fundus imaging. Nowadays, there some fundus cameras with high quality images that are very expensive, mainly to eyecare clinics in developing countries. The reason for this high price is the high technology involved, mostly due to the reflection removal of the optical surfaces of the equipment and the cornea that demands off-axis optical components. De Oliveira has presented an innovative fundus camera architecture that makes the complete optical system coaxial, which has never been observed since the off-axis architecture presented by Knoll in 1969. To illuminate the eye, De Oliveira proposed to use a ring of surface-mounted light emitting diodes place between the objective lens and the imaging system. It solved the problem of surfaces reflections and simplified its optical design. We propose to use the work presented by De Oliveira to significantly reduce the production cost of the fundus camera in order to sell it for R$ 50.000,00, a very lower price compared to the offered by other companies. We will develop the product engineering to present a easy-to-use equipment capable of capture high quality fundus images. The equipment will be certified by the National Health Surveillance Agency. After that, we will send some pieces of equipment to eyecare collaborators to evaluate their results and we will present the new equipment in national and international workshops. (AU)