TearOptix, Inc. has completed a financing round and announced the formation of a new Scientific Advisory Board as the contact lens company advances toward developing a new presbyopia-targeted technology.
Let’s begin with this company.
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, the private company is targeting presbyopia correction via the development of a proprietary tear-and-blink-responsive contact lens technology (but more on that later).
Its co-founders:
- Current CEO Vartan Ghazarossian, PhD
- Vance Thompson, MD (also founder of Vance Thompson Vision)
And this strategic funding?
The venture capital-backed company didn’t share specifics on the funding amount in its announcement.
- However, reports indicate prior funding seed rounds have taken place in 2022 and 2023—with the last round (Series 1 deal type) clocking in at $2 million.
As for its purpose: This latest capital will be used to advance TearOptix’s clinical development and validation of its proprietary multifocal lens technology.
Gotcha. Now, why haven’t I heard much about this company?
Likely because TearOptix is reportedly operating in “stealth mode.”
What this means: Stealth mode refers to when a company (most commonly a startup) works to develop and launch new products without alerting any competitors.
- See here for the advantages associated with this mode (including protecting intellectual property).
How interesting … now talk about this new SAB.
The Board is composed of six members whom TearOptix refers to as “world-class vision experts” in three key areas: academic research, clinical practice, and optical innovation.
These include:
- Ian Cox, PhD
- President and founder, IGC Consulting Group; Adjunct Professor, University of Rochester
- Jennifer Fogt, OD
- Assistant Professor of Optometry at The Ohio State University (OSU)
- Damien Gatinel, MD, PhD
- Head, Anterior and Refractive Surgery Department, Rothschild Foundation, Paris
- Richard Lindstrom, MD
- Founder, Minnesota Eye Consultants; Adjunct Clinical Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota
- James Wolffsohn, Bsc, MBA, PhD
- Professor of Optometry, Aston University, United Kingdom
- Aaron Zimmerman, OD
- Clinical Professor, College of Optometry, OSU
And their purpose?
SAB members will be directing TearOptix’s “product development, clinical programs, and commercialization strategy” for the company’s presbyopia-targeted technology.
- And with this Board in place, the company is now rapidly moving to ensure its products meet “the highest standards of safety and clinical performance, establishing a basis for regulatory clearance,” according to Ghazarossian.
Speaking of products … what do we know about this technology?
That’s the (multi-)million-dollar question, as the company has been largely flying under the clinical news radar these last few years …
According to TearOptix’s website, it’s pioneering a “new class of tear and blink-driven” MF contact lenses that work with the eye’s natural physiology.
More specifically: These lenses feature a proprietary diffractive design that utilizes tear film dynamics (“renewed with every blink”) to enable a patient’s eyes to smoothly shift focus between near and far vision.
- The intended result: “Effortless” clarity, natural visual transitions, and lasting comfort for presbyopes.
Why focus on tear film?
It’s no secret: All contact lenses alter the tear film (for the worse).
Even more so: Tear film instability can worsen contact lens wear among presbyopes, leading to increased eye dryness and a higher likelihood of lens dropout.
As such: A healthy tear film is critical for contact lens-wearing presbyopes to ensure:
- Lubrication and comfort
- Ocular surface health and protection
- A stable surface for clear vision
Noted. And how does this lens design compare to other MF contact lenses?
Often used to address presbyopia—among other conditions—MF lens designs typically feature fixed optical zones, in which the power and sizes of the central clear viewing area are specifically defined (and customized) to correct vision.
Importantly: These lenses’ zones do not shift with gaze direction; instead, the eye simultaneously views through multiple powers.
Do we know anything else about TearOptix’s tech?
We did find this patent (one of an estimated 20 reportedly assigned to the company) filed by Dr. Thompson in 2019 (granted in 2022) that’s active until 2039.
Based on the filing: The invention includes a method for treating dry eye syndrome (dry eye disease) in relation to supplementing a patient’s natural tears.
- These tears are collected, (optionally) sterilized, and then stored in a highly absorbent or super-absorbent medium that’s capable of absorbing 40–60× its own weight.
- The absorbent medium is incorporated into a contact lens or conjunctival cover that then collects the donor tears and delivers / disperses them onto the ocular surface.
- The contact lens (“conjunctival cover”) operates as a storage, delivery, and application mechanism for these donor tears.
See here for a more in-depth description of this.
Interesting. So when might we hear more about this tech’s clinical advancement?
We asked. The company's response:
- "TearOptix is currently in the preclinical planning stage, with initial clinical evaluations expected to begin after key development milestones are achieved."
Stay tuned for an update in the coming months!