Reimaging Glaucoma Management and Tackling Compliance Issues Are Themes of New Episode of “On Tech & Vision with Dr. Cal Roberts”

NEW YORK (April 21, 2022) – We explore the intersection between innovation and resilience in the latest episode of “On Tech & Vision with Dr. Cal Roberts.” With a focus on out-of-the-box thinking, we discuss the challenges of complying with protocols for  diseases like glaucoma and the new technology that can help better manage the disease and possibly evolve into better treatment delivery options in the future.

We also hear personal stories from people who have challenged the norm, like Chef Christine Ha. Innovation has been key for Chef Ha. She shares how she overcame the loss of her vision to win MasterChef in 2012 and has since opened two restaurants in Houston that she adapted during the pandemic to meet the needs of her community.

It has been harder for glaucoma patients to get to the eye doctor during the pandemic. Innovator Max Ostermeier, CEO and Founder of Implandata Ophthalmic Products based in Hannover, Germany, and his team, have also challenged the norm by rethinking traditional glaucoma management protocol. They invented a microscopic implantable device, the EyeMate, which measures intraocular pressure throughout the day. It sends the data to a patient’s handheld device and their eye doctor’s office for analysis. He discusses how this game-changing technology allows people with glaucoma to bypass regular trips to the ophthalmologist’s office to measure their eye pressure, reducing their burdens and improving the quality of their care.

In the future, Max envisions that the EyeMate could be paired with a drug delivery implant to close the loop between monitoring eye pressure and drug delivery, as is now possible with diabetes. This would make it easier for patients to stay in compliance with glaucoma protocols meant to slow disease progression and preserve vision.

Dr. Carmen Pal, who specializes in general medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Lighthouse Guild’s Maxine and John M. Bendheim Center for Diabetes Care, talks about how closed loop drug delivery systems that pair glucose monitoring with insulin delivery help patients with diabetes stay in compliance.

To round out the discussion, an occupational therapist who has managed her diabetes for 27 years, and a patient who lost her sight to glaucoma share their experiences.

Now in its second season, “On Tech and Vision with Dr. Cal Roberts” explores the big ideas that are making life better for people with vision loss. Dr. Calvin W. Roberts, president & CEO of Lighthouse Guild and podcast host, interviews innovators and experts who are breaking barriers with transformative technologies.

“On Tech & Vision with Dr. Cal Roberts,” is available online at Lighthouseguild.org and for downloading on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts iHeartRadio Podcasts and Tunein.com. Twitter: @LighthouseGld #OnTechVision. The podcast has over 7,200 downloads since it launched in 2020.

About Lighthouse Guild

Lighthouse Guild provides exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals. We provide coordinated care for eye health, vision rehabilitation and behavioral health as well as related services. For more information, visit Lighthouseguild.org.

Press Contact:        Bryan Dotson, Manners Dotson Group

                                 917-796-8632, bdotson@mannersdotson.com