One hundred and forty million people suffer from glaucoma, a degenerative eye disease that can lead to blindness. It is most prevalent among people aged 60 and up.
Glaucoma is generally preventable, either by eye drops or laser surgery. Patients have poor compliance with drops, and laser surgery is cumbersome, uncomfortable and usually performed only by a specialist.
Israeli startup Belkin Laser has developed an alternative laser treatment that is fast, guided by sophisticated image-processing software, and can be offered by any of the 200,000 general ophthalmologists worldwide – and ultimately by non-physician optometrists.
Given that just 11 percent of ophthalmologists specialize in glaucoma, expanding who can offer treatment represents a game-changer.
Glaucoma is a progressive degeneration of the optic nerve, mostly associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP) inside the eye. IOP increases due to problems with the drainage of the aqueous humor, the fluid that fills the space between the cornea and the vitreous and delivers nutrients to the transparent parts of the eye.-- More...The Belkin Laser Eagle treats glaucoma quickly with no contact. Photo by Yosee Letova
ISRAEL21c was founded in 2001, in the wake of the Second Intifada, to broaden public understanding of Israel beyond typical portrayals in the mainstream media.
The organization’s founders – Israeli-American technology executives – understood the great power of the Internet and developed a first-of-its kind online product with global appeal and reach.
