Topcon is donating ophthalmic cameras and supporting screening centers to allow Orbis to make eye care more accessible, thus reducing avoidable vision loss.
Topcon Healthcare, a leading provider of medical devices and software solutions for the global eye care community, has joined forces with Orbis International, a global nonprofit organization delivering sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and territories, and the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO) to expand diabetic retinopathy screening in Rwanda.
Topcon has donated NW400 and NW500 robotic retinal cameras for use in much-needed diabetic retinopathy screenings for patients with diabetes in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
“Access to regular diabetic retinopathy screenings is important to catch the disease early, before permanent vision loss, or even blindness, occurs,” said Prof. Ciku Mathenge, medical advisor, Orbis International and RIIO Founding Director. “We are proud to partner with Topcon, whose donation will make diabetic retinopathy screening more accessible to patients in Kigali, Rwanda, and prevent future vision loss. We are grateful for their generosity and commitment to increasing access to eye care around the world.”
Etienne Uwingabire, senior nurse and director of the Rwanda Diabetes Association, screens a patient with Topcon’s NW400 Retinal Camera. Photo: Orbis International/Serrah Galos
Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes, is the leading cause of vision loss among working-age people globally. Of note, the largest projected increase in the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is expected to occur in sub-Saharan Africa.¹
There are 300,000 people² in Rwanda currently living with diabetes, and approximately 1 in 3 (100,000) are likely to develop diabetic retinopathy.¹ The prevalence of diabetes combined with the severe shortage of medical personnel in the region–there are only 2.7 ophthalmologists per million people in sub-Saharan Africa³–makes diabetic retinopathy screening in this area a critical and valuable initiative.
Annual screening programs supporting early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy are paramount. Such screening programs have been shown to effectively reduce the incidence and progression of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy despite the resources, infrastructure, and personnel challenges.
The Topcon-Orbis-RIIO partnership brings diabetic patients to high-volume health clinics for retinal imaging with Topcon’s robotic cameras.
The images are uploaded to Cybersight AI, Orbis’s online artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can detect signs of common eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, in seconds. The speed of the AI tool is critical–providing patients with immediate feedback on their health and a referral for more evaluations and treatment if needed.
Without this immediate turnaround, patients can wait days or weeks for screening results from a human grader; this delay often means that patients do not pursue the follow-up care they need, and those with treatable disease may be missed until they have permanent vision loss.
The partnership is guided by the promising results of Orbis’s recently published research⁴ in Rwanda, which demonstrated increased referral compliance and high patient satisfaction when receiving immediate results via Cybersight AI screening for diabetic retinopathy.
Peter van der Ree, senior sales director, Distributor Sales EMEA for Topcon Europe Medical, was instrumental in launching the partnership.
He commented, “We are very excited about our partnership with Orbis. It has the potential to significantly impact the early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Rwanda. The combination of Topcon’s robotic retinal imaging technology with AI image analysis will provide sight-saving services for the people of Rwanda and help prevent vision loss from diabetes.”
References
https://go.topconhealthcare.com/e/803663/nditions-diabetic-retinopathy-/7lx6y7/615581283/h/yQODKUZdYITA4c-hgbCw6RPf0ieOlK4CT7LxJ2kAjQQ
https://go.topconhealthcare.com/e/803663/members-africa-members-rwanda-/7lx6yb/615581283/h/yQODKUZdYITA4c-hgbCw6RPf0ieOlK4CT7LxJ2kAjQQ
https://go.topconhealthcare.com/e/803663/is-in-Sub-Saharan-Africa-1-pdf/7lx6yf/615581283/h/yQODKUZdYITA4c-hgbCw6RPf0ieOlK4CT7LxJ2kAjQQ
https://go.topconhealthcare.com/e/803663/faction-with-ai-eye-screenings/7lx6yj/615581283/h/yQODKUZdYITA4c-hgbCw6RPf0ieOlK4CT7LxJ2kAjQQ