diabetic retinopathy Archives - InnoHEALTH magazine

Restoring Sight: The Technologies and Ideas Transforming Eye Health

Khushi Khandelwal — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Dr. Virender Sangwan

Dr. Virender Sangwan is renowned ophthalmic surgeon and innovator in stem cell therapy for corneal blindness, with global impact through translational research, surgical innovation, and leadership in vision care advancement was interviewed by Dr. Soumya Singh, Creative Editor of InnoHEALTH Magazine.

Ortho-K, or orthokeratology, is gaining popularity as a non-surgical way to temporarily correct vision. From a clinical and scientific standpoint, how exactly does Ortho-K reshape the cornea, and who can benefit most from this technique?

The Ortho-K is suitable for low myopes, and it essentially mechanically reshapes the cornea during sleep, and the effect lasts temporarily during the day. This way, people who prefer not to wear spectacles or contact lenses during the day find this technique helpful for short periods.

Are there any long-term risks or widespread misconceptions about Ortho-K that you feel the public should be more aware of?

The only small risk is infection, and other than that, it is largely a safe technique. People should understand that it is not a permanent vision correction.

Both LASIK and SMILE are laser-based refractive surgeries. Could you explain the core differences between the two, and under what circumstances one might be preferred over the other?

LASIK means Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis: it is a type of laser refractive surgery to reshape the cornea for correction of refractive errors like shortsightedness. The SMILE is a type of laser eye surgery to correct refractive errors, and it is a type of LASIK. The SMILE- Small Incision Lenticule Extraction is a minimally invasive and flapless laser surgery. The LASIK can be done using a blade or a non-touch technique like SMILE. There other type of LASIK like PRK or PTK. The technique is decided based on several factors like corneal topography, thickness of the cornea, degree of refractive error or power to be corrected, patient preference etc.

The concept of bionic eyes sounds like science fiction becoming reality. From your vantage point in translational ophthalmic research, how do these devices function, and what potential do they hold for patients with severe visual impairment?

Let us first understand how the eye perceives light or images. The front part of the eye (the Cornea and Lens) collects light and focuses it onto Retina, which in turn sends a signal to the brain via the Optic Nerve. When there is irreversible damage to the retina (retinitis pigmentosa, retinal degeneration, etc) a bionic eye can be useful to partially restore vision. The bionic eye is also known as a prosthesis designed to restore some degree of sight to individuals with severe visual loss. The device consists of external components like a camera and a processor to capture & transmit visual
information. The Argus II retinal prosthesis system is such an example of a bionic eye that has been used to treat individuals with severe retinitis pigmentosa. It includes a camera and an electrode array implanted on the retina.

With your experience bridging clinical practice and research, how do you see artificial intelligence transforming the early detection and diagnosis of diseases like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma?

The artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical and ophthalmic field is transforming the care, and we are implementing these technologies in our research and patient care quickly. I believe the AI is going to help doctors and patients simplify care and processes.

You’ve spent decades striving to make eye care accessible to underserved populations. What recent advancements in tele-ophthalmology have most effectively extended reach to rural or low-resource communities?

There are few technologies which are helping us to reach the unreachable in rural areas. Yes, using Tele-ophthalmology is one such tool and we are practising it extensively in our daily life. The Dr Shroff’s Charitable Eye Hospital (SCEH) has over 6 secondary center, 125 primary eye care centers in addition tertiary care center in Delhi. We examine over 700,000 patients in OPD, over one million school screenings and perform 78000 surgeries in a year. We have been using technology extensively to make it happen, including tele-ophthalmology and tele-refraction.

Femtosecond laser technology has been a game-changer in both cataract and refractive surgeries. Could you share how this innovation has improved surgical precision and patient outcomes?

The femtosecond laser technology is still evolving and making eye surgery more precise, and not necessarily improved the patient outcome. I think the technology has to improve further to improve patient outcomes yet.

You’ve treated over 800 patients using cultivated limbal stem cells, making it the largest known application of adult stem cell therapy in ophthalmology. What have been the most profound outcomes or challenges from this experience?

I have been using and working with stem cell therapy for corneal blindness from the early 2000s and established for the first time cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (CLET) and then devised new technique of growing stem cells using the eye as “Petri-dish” and regrow damaged corneal outer layer (called as corneal epithelium). This technique is called SLET-simple limbal epithelial transplantation. We don’t need an expensive laboratory for the SLET, and it is a very cost-effective surgery. There has been a profound effect on patients of using these procedures. We have been able to restore vision in some of my patients who have been blind due to chemical injury for 30-40 years.

Translational research has defined much of your career. How do you see the relationship between lab-based discovery and real-world clinical application evolving in the next decade?

Translational research is the foundation of my 30+ years career, and it continues to define my current work. For this purpose, we have established stem cells research laboratory and also SPCORE- Shroff’s Pandorum Centre for Corneal

Regeneration. We also started a PhD program in translational eye research in collaboration with MAHE- Manipal Academy of Higher Education. We have enrolled five PhD students in this program who are solving actual clinical problems faced by our patients. Therefore, the future lies in translational research to improve patient outcomes.

You’ve worked extensively with institutions like LV Prasad Eye Institute and ORBIS International. What insights have you gained about merging innovation with equitable care, especially in resource-limited settings?

I have always worked in not-for-profit organisations throughout my career. Innovation is the key driver for improving access to healthcare for all, as well as for enhancing clinical outcomes through the participation of all stakeholders in an equitable manner. Technological innovations are more relevant in resource-limited settings. Hence, we have started an innovation centre at L V Prasad Eye Institute in 2013, which was inaugurated by Hon’l APJ Abdul Kallam, then president of India. The centre was named as Centre for Innovation and the program “Engineering the Eye”.

The post Restoring Sight: The Technologies and Ideas Transforming Eye Health appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

Advancements in Eye Care: Insights from Dr. Virendra Singh Sangwan

Khushi Khandelwal — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Dr. Virendra Singh Sangwan

In the latest episode of InnoHealth Magazine Podcast, Soumya Singh sat down with Dr. Virendra Singh Sangwan, a renowned ophthalmologist at Dr. Shroff’s Eye Care Charity Hospital, to discuss the latest advancements in eye health, emerging technologies in treatment, and how we can protect our vision in an increasingly digital world.

A Personal Journey into Ophthalmology

Dr. Sangwan’s journey into ophthalmology is deeply personal and rooted in a moment of inspiration during his early years. Reflecting on his path, he shared a story his mother told him from his childhood, a defining experience that guided his professional choices. This story is also a central part of his book, Unbound, which outlines his life journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

Dr. Sangwan’s experiences emphasize how seemingly random decisions, sometimes made without a clear vision at the time, can lead to fulfilling and impactful careers. His book serves as a framework for young adults navigating their professional and personal lives, encouraging them to dream big and embrace paths that may not always seem conventional.

Emerging Technologies in Eye Care

Over the years, the field of ophthalmology has seen incredible advancements. Dr. Sangwan recalled a time when, during his training in the late 1980s, ophthalmology was devoid of the advanced technologies we have today. However, things have drastically changed, and today, the field boasts innovations such as stem cell therapies, bioengineered corneas, and the latest, the liquid cornea.

The liquid cornea, a bioengineered solution for treating corneal damage, is one of the most exciting developments in modern eye care. Dr. Sangwan elaborated on how this technology could revolutionize corneal transplants and other treatments for patients with severe eye conditions.

Protecting Eye Health in the Digital Age

With the rise of digital screens in everyday life, protecting our eyes has become increasingly important. Dr. Sangwan addressed the issue of prolonged screen time, a concern for many in the digital age, especially those working in corporate environments. While using screens isn’t inherently harmful, he emphasized the importance of giving eyes proper rest.

He recommended taking a 2-3 minute break every 20-30 minutes of screen time, blinking forcefully to refresh the eyes, and using lubricating eye drops if symptoms of dryness or discomfort arise. Adjusting the position of your screen to eye level and using blue light filters on devices can also help minimize strain.

For those concerned about the impact of blue light, Dr. Sangwan suggested that while protective screens and special glasses might offer some relief, the key is to manage screen time and ensure that breaks are regularly taken to prevent eye fatigue.

Eye Health in Children

One concerning trend Dr. Sangwan noted is the increasing number of young children wearing glasses. This is largely due to the rise in screen time at a young age. In countries like China, Hong Kong, and Singapore, where screen use among children is particularly high, nearly 80% of the population wears glasses. In India, the rate is growing, especially among urban populations.

Dr. Sangwan explained that excessive screen time at a young age, combined with limited outdoor activities, contributes to the worsening of children’s eye health. He encouraged parents to ensure that children engage in outdoor physical activities, which can help balance the effects of screen time and contribute to better vision development.

The Link Between Diabetes and Eye Health

Diabetes, a condition prevalent in India, has significant implications for eye health. Dr. Sangwan discussed diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can lead to vision loss if left untreated. With India having the highest number of diabetic patients globally, it is crucial for individuals with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar levels and maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a balanced diet.

Dr. Sangwan explained how high blood sugar levels affect the retina, leading to reduced blood supply, bleeding, and in severe cases, retinal detachment. Timely detection and management of diabetes can help prevent or mitigate the effects of diabetic retinopathy.

Nutrition and Its Impact on Eye Health

Diet plays a key role in maintaining good eye health. Dr. Sangwan recommended traditional foods such as seasonal fruits and vegetables, milk, and curd, which are rich in nutrients essential for eye health, including vitamin A. He specifically mentioned the benefits of eating carrots and radishes, which are high in vitamin A, during the winter months.

Although Ayurveda offers several remedies for improving eyesight, Dr. Sangwan emphasized that, as an allopathic doctor, his expertise lies in more scientifically proven methods. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the importance of maintaining a balanced diet for overall health, including eye health.

Final Thoughts on Eye Health

Dr. Sangwan concluded the conversation with an important message for listeners: 80% of the information we gather about the world comes through our eyes. He urged people of all ages, whether young or old, to prioritize their eye health by maintaining a balanced diet, taking regular breaks from screens, and scheduling routine eye checkups. Protecting our eyes ensures that we can continue to fully engage with and appreciate the world around us.

Authors Biography

Dr. Virender Singh Sangwan is a globally acclaimed ophthalmic surgeon, pioneered SLET for corneal blindness, treated 800+ patients, authored 274 papers, and led innovations at LVPEI and Dr. Shroff’s Eye Hospital.

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Living with Diabetes

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 07:24:19 +0000

Living with Diabetes: An Occupational Therapy Perspective

Almost half the population of India suffers from diabetes. It is also one of the fastest growing diseases and comes under the category of lifestyle diseases. Diabetes can affect any person, irrespective of age, gender, occupation, and region. It is believed to be a ‘silent killer’ by many as the complications caused by the disease are varied and can affect any part of the body causing major damage, if left untreated or neglected. Most of us believe that only medicines need to be prescribed and the disease will be taken care off. Though that is a very important aspect of treatment, a person diagnosed with diabetes also needs to have a good quality of life (QOL) in order to ensure healthy living and compliance with treatment protocols.

The field of Occupational Therapy (OT) looks into the daily activities of the person with diabetes and analyzes ‘how’ it is being done. Not only does the activity need to be done using the correct posture, but it should also not be physically taxing. Over and above, the activity must be done ‘safely’. Occupational therapists help by training the person with diabetes modify habits and routines. If required, a new routine and method can be prescribed in order to ensure independence without putting the person at risk.

OT can help patients develop simple, concrete, measurable, and achievable self-management goals consistent with the seven behaviors advocated by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE). These AADE 7™ Self-Care Behaviours are: (1) healthy eating, (2) being active, (3) monitoring, (4) taking medication, (5) problem solving, (6) healthy coping, and (7) reducing risks.

Also Read: Recent Breakthroughs In Diabetes Research

Healthy Eating

The whole process of ‘eating right’ starts with buying the ‘correct’ food. Planning and then preparing a meal using suitable ingredients is just as important. Healthy eating is essential. Cutting down on your favorite sweets may be a real challenge. However, in today’s day and age, there are several substitutes available in the market. Monitoring carbohydrate intake, avoiding sweets, sweetened drinks and trans-fats is essential to keeping diabetes under control.

Being Active

Staying active through physical exercise and continuing to do as many tasks by yourself will not only ensure that your body remains toned up but, will also ensure optimal utilization of the sugar you may have eaten and release of ‘happy hormones’ such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, estrogen, and progesterone. Setting realistic and do-able goals will give a sense of achievement, for example ‘today I will tidy up my cupboard’ (dopamine); reducing stress by spending quality time with loved ones and pursuing a hobby, a physical exercise routine (yoga, going for a walk, dancing, etc.) and meditation are some ways to improve the levels of ‘happy hormones’ in the body.

Monitoring and Taking Medication

This can be easily achieved by encouraging the person with diabetes to have a schedule. Keeping fixed times for meals and medication decreases the chances of ‘forgetting’. Reminders in the form of alarms (phone and clock) are both useful. Keeping your medicines at a place where you can see them is crucial to compliance. Making a checklist and ticking each item off as you complete the task on a daily basis can also help elderly persons who may have memory issues. Family members to have a major role to play in monitoring and taking medication. ‘Cheating’ on food issues reduces drastically if someone else is monitoring and if the foods to be avoided are kept either out of reach of the person (for example, under lock and key) or not kept in the house at all.

Coping in a Healthy Manner

Persons with diabetes have to face the challenge of living their lives with the knowledge that their condition is incurable. This can have a major psychological impact on the person. With information on the disease available freely, a person may be overwhelmed by the complications that might occur. Family members need to be supportive in order to ensure that the person with diabetes follows the treatment prescribed and stays positive about his or her future. Increasing awareness to the family members is crucial for prevention of complications. Participating in activities that are purposeful, nurturing a hobby, spending time with loved ones, doing the mundane but important things of life such as ironing, dusting helps maintain a routine and is crucial for a good quality of life.

Also Read:
Advantages & Disadvantages: Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices
Needle-Free Diabetes Care

Problem Solving

A person with diabetes sometimes might even feel helpless. Helping him or her to become a problem solver is an important component to ensure independence for a longer duration of time. This means that instead of always looking around for someone else to do your job or find a solution for a challenge simply ‘DO IT YOURSELF’. For example, if you are unable to go grocery shopping by yourself, think about home delivery options. So, all you need to do is pick up the phone and call your local grocery seller or order online!

Reducing Risks

Wound healing takes longer in a person with diabetes. Hence, it is important to reduce the risk of injuries at all times. An occupational therapist can carry out a ‘floor slipperiness’ assessment, incident, and injury survey, and hazard surveillance to reduce the risk of an injury or a fall. For example, a person with diabetic neuropathy – a complication which causes the nerves to be affected resulting in less feeling in terms of pain, temperature (hot or cold) or pressure (tight or loose). Such a person is at a major risk of getting injured. Burns during cooking are common as the person is unable to feel a ‘hot’ utensil. A simple modification like microwave cooking/heating or using protective gloves can prevent any foreseeable injury. Removing potential hazards such as loose wires and carpets in addition to wearing slip-resistant footwear and placing non-skid mats at strategic places can prevent falls.

Occupational therapists also prescribe, train and educate persons with diabetes in a suitable household as well as environmental adaptations. For example, a person with diabetic retinopathy – a complication when the blood vessels of the retina in the eye get damaged leading to loss of vision – is prescribed, trained and educated in the use of visual aids such as magnifying glasses and using closed circuit TV. The importance of reducing glare, using contrast images, bright colors and appropriate lighting to improve the seeing ability is emphasized. These methods are also incorporated at doors, stairs, and other potential fall areas. Organizing things around the house so the patient can easily find things helps not only patients with vision impairments but also patients with memory issues.

It is essential that any person with a chronic condition such as diabetes continues to lead a normal life. This helps retain meaning and purpose to their lives. Helping the person with diabetes plan and maintain a routine which has time slots for all essential elements in the care of diabetes such as mealtime, when to take the medication, exercise, work and leisure activities, is one of the most important areas of Occupational Therapy. Helping the person understand that there are various ways that one can maintain one’s independence without compromising on the quality of life or safety is the key to living with diabetes. All that is required is a little discipline and lots of care.

About the Author

Dr. Monika Kundu Srivastava is an experienced Occupational Therapist with specialization in Neurologic conditions. She is currently working in a hospital set-up. Besides being a clinician, Monika is also an experienced writer and editor.

The post Living with Diabetes appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

New Age Solutions for Diabetic Care

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 10:47:37 +0000

Diabetes may not have a medically approved cure yet, but it sure can be turned a few knobs down with a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and medication. Of course, one should follow a doctor’s advice for a lifestyle change. In the real world though, you look longingly at those French fries and convince yourself a few wouldn’t harm. Or you hit the snooze button and tell yourself, I will go for that long run tomorrow. And on and on you go, till your next visit to the Principal’s office, aka your doctor, where you hope miraculously for an improved report card. You are not alone my friend. Sticking to a regime requires discipline or an occasional reminder from your wellwishers (if you were me). A sight towards your goal and how far you have come in conquering it help matters further. Thankfully, plenty of new-age start-ups are here to make diabetes management and lifestyle changes easier.

Take for instance Life In Control and Wellthy Therapeutics. These digital platforms connect patients with doctors and coaches and provide personalized care in terms of diet and exercise plan. Users can create long-term health goals, follow-up daily tasks and keep tabs on their health profile including HbA1C and glucose levels, track medicines intake and understand how their daily routine affect these measures. These start-ups also give doctors the flexibility of reaching out to patients outside their clinical hours as well as to create and coach them on their personalized care plans. In the language of numbers, Life In Control has over 100 doctors on the platform and appears to have helped over a lakh patient with their app. Wellthy Therapeutics took the approach of a pilot program with diabetic patients and claims to have helped reduce both HbA1C levels by a little over 1% and an average weight reduction of 3.4 kgs over 16 weeks. It also got an endorsement by Asia’s largest diabetes association, Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India. Both the apps are available for download on Android and iOS platforms.

Adding to the growing list of startups are those that detect blood glucose and connect directly to your smartphone. BioSense SYNC, for instance, is a compact Glucometer with Bluetooth connectivity to a user’s phone. It provides a detailed analysis of blood sugar data collected over a number of days. Similar to other diabetes management apps, a user can map their glucose data with their eating and exercising habits. Taking these interventions a step further, the start-up BeatO not only provides a smartphone Glucometer but also a range of diabetic friendly food products to munch upon. Patients can order medicines, sync their fitness devices and count calories on food items consumed. As of today, BeatO has served more than 25000 customers with a daily user add-on of 75-100. Most of these diabetes management apps can instantly connect a patient to a diabetic coach in case the sugar levels are off, and alert the patient’s family as well on concerning trends.

Complimenting these health management gurus, patients are also likely to benefit if there were devices providing at home diagnosis for diabetic complications, such as neuropathy, kidney malfunction or diabetic retinopathy. Scintiglo by Cutting Edge Medical Devices, Anupath by PathShodh and Sparsha by Yostra Labs have created Point of Care (PoC) tests to detect the first two complications. Scintiglo is a small handheld device that detects urinary proteins (should be trace levels in a healthy individual) at a low cost with remarkable accuracy and connects to a smartphone through a custom app. Anupath uses unique test strips for detection of specific biomarkers of diabetes, while also eliminating the need of usual sample preparation that one sees in clinics. Patients can get a comprehensive reading of their plasma and urine protein levels, HbA1c levels blood glucose and hemoglobin. While Sparsha, as the name suggests, focuses on touch-based tests that can diagnose diabetic peripheral neuropathy and send reports via users’ smartphone. Funded by the Department of Biotechnology grant (BIRAC), these start-ups focus on low-cost solutions, so an average user can save money on constant check-ups. Low costs also allow these start-ups to cater to rural segments of India, where a healthcare worker can refer patients to tertiary hospitals based on initial reports by these devices.

The complication of retinopathy, as mentioned above, relates to the slowly progressive disease of the eye and is one of the leading causes of blindness in diabetic patients. This segment is addressed by start-ups like ChironX and Artelus that use artificial intelligence to detect or monitor diabetic retinopathy risks from retinal image scans. Both the start-ups have achieved high accuracy of detection (over 95%) while the technology of AI confers an easy benefit of scanning retinas at a much faster speed to doctors and hospitals. Artelus also boasts to have saved over 3900 eyes so far from diabetic complications.

Given the burden of diabetes in every aspect of life (behavioral, physiological and financial), being handheld into recovery could be motivating for many patients. For maximum impact, we need to reach the furthest demographic corners of India, as diabetes has a growing prevalence in all sectors of the country. Infact, why wait for diabetes to knock at your door? One can also mitigate pre-diabetic conditions or reduce the chances of developing diabetes later in life. These start-ups aim to provide that ecosystem, where a patient can be led into an improved, healthy lifestyle at minimal costs. And just as it is heartening to see the growing awareness of Indians towards their health, it is equally imperative that these solutions are also as democratic as possible. Importantly in a booming start-up scenario, maintaining data integrity, complete transparency between doctors, patients and companies as well as strict adherence to ethical standards would go a long way in ensuring patient trust in this system.

About the author

Urvashi (Raheja) Bhattacharyya is a Biomedical Science graduate from Delhi University and a Ph.D. from National Centre for Biological Sciences. When not running behind her toddler, she spends time reading stuff about the brain, AI, ML, and latest innovations. Writing keeps her calm.

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InnoHEALTH Magazine | Volume 4 Issue 1 | Innovation in Diabetes – Unmet Needs
Highlights

Exclusive interview of H.E Klas Molin, Ambassador of Sweden to India on “Sweden-India collaboration in the health sector”
Digital healthcare
DISHA: Need of the hour. How crucial is DISHA (Act) for the healthcare industry?

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AI Engraving Footprints on Healthcare Transcontinental Canvas

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 07:22:38 +0000

SIR ALEXANDER FLEMING, the discoverer of Penicillin, shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945. But when he arrived in Stockholm to receive the award he had a bad cold. Throughout the ceremony, he used his handkerchief repeatedly. Later when he was leaving, his eyes were still watery, and he was still sniffing. One of the officials shook his head sympathetically and said, “No good for colds”. EE Edgar January 1965.

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But, it was a stunning discovery that changed the course of history. The active ingredient, which Fleming named Penicillin, turned out to be an infection-fighting agent of enormous potency. When it was finally recognized for what it was, the most efficacious life-saving drug in the world, Penicillin altered forever the treatment of bacterial infections.

Now, it is turn of AI (Artificial Intelligence) that is making fast forays in a broad-spectrum of disciplines, and medical diagnostics and treatment field is paving way for intrusion of AI.

Across the world, race is underway to exploit AI for good of patients. Many say it is not much away from tipping point: those who will take timely advantage of it or those who are set to miss the opportunity at the initial moments.

In India, AI ball has started rolling in the wake of the huge potential of the healthcare network and an ever-burgeoning population of 130 crore people. A discussion paper on National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence prepared by NITI Aayog team which included, Arnab Kumar, Punit Shukla, Aalekh Sharan, and Tanay Mahindru, came up for discussions recently and moves are afoot to proceed further.

The paper delved at length on various dimensions of AI. It said NITI Aayog is working with Microsoft and Forus Health to roll out the technology for early detection of diabetic retinopathy as a pilot project. 3Nethra, developed by Forus Health, is a portable device that can screen for common eye problems. Integrating AI capabilities to this device using Microsoft’s retinal imaging APIs enables operators of 3Nethra device to get AI-powered insights even when they are working at eye checkup camps in remote areas with nil or intermittent connectivity to the cloud.

The resultant technology solution also solves for quality issues with image capture and systems checks in place to evaluate the usability of the image captured.

AI-based healthcare solutions can also help in making healthcare services more proactive – moving from “sick” care to true “health” care, with emphasis on preventive techniques.

AI solutions can augment the scarce personnel and lab facilities; help overcome the barriers to access and solve the accessibility problem; through early detection, diagnostic, decision-making and treatment, cater to a large part of India.

Cancer screening and treatment, the paper says, is an area where AI provides tremendous scope for targeted large-scale interventions. India sees an incidence of more than 1 million new cases of cancer every year, and early detection and management can be crucial in an optimum cancer treatment regimen across the country.

NITI Aayog is in the advanced stage for launching a programme to develop a national repository of annotated and curated, despite the obvious economic potential, the healthcare sector in India remains multi-layered and complex and is ripe for disruption from emerging technologies at multiple levels.

It is probably the most intuitive and obvious use case primed for intervention by AI-driven solutions, as evidenced by the increasing activity from large corporates and start-ups alike in developing AI focused healthcare solutions.

Researchers said the Adoption of AI for healthcare applications is expected to see an exponential increase in the next few years. The increased advances in technology and interest and activity from innovators provides an opportunity for India to solve some of its long-existing challenges in providing appropriate healthcare to a large section of its population. AI combined with robotics and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) could potentially be the new nervous system for healthcare, presenting solutions to address healthcare problems and helping the government in meeting the above objective pathology images. Another related project under discussions is an Imaging Biobank for Cancer.

In US, Viz.ai, Inc., an applied artificial intelligence healthcare company a few months back announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a De Novo request for the first-ever Computer-Aided Triage and Notification Platform to identify Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) strokes in CTA imaging. This regulatory clearance compliments Viz.ai’s recent European CE Mark for the product in January 2018.

“The Viz.ai LVO Stroke Platform is the first example of applied artificial intelligence software that seeks to augment the diagnostic and treatment pathway of critically unwell stroke patients,” said Dr. Chris Mansi, Neurosurgeon and Chief Executive Officer. “We are thrilled to bring artificial intelligence to healthcare in a way that works alongside physicians and helps get the right patient, to the right doctor at the right time.”

Stroke is a serious and time-sensitive medical condition that requires emergency care and can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, and death. A stroke occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain is blocked. When this happens 2 million brain cells die every minute. “This software device could benefit patients by notifying a specialist earlier thereby decreasing the time to treatment. Faster treatment may lessen the extent or progression of a stroke,” said Robert Ochs, Ph.D., Acting Deputy Director for Radiological Health, Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

The Viz.ai LVO Stroke Platform was developed using deep learning, a revolutionary technique where algorithms learn how to identify patterns in data from millions of prior examples. The Viz.ai system connects to a hospital CT scanner and alerts the stroke specialist that a suspected LVO stroke has been identified, sending the radiological images directly to their smartphone.

In a 300-patient performance study, the Viz.ai LVO Stroke Platform obtained an AUC of 0.91, identifying LVOs and alerting the relevant specialist with 90% sensitivity and specificity and a median scan to notification time of under 6 minutes. In over 95% of cases, the automatic notifications demonstrated faster notification of the specialist, saving between 6 and 206 minutes, with an average time saving of 52 minutes.

“Timely LVO stroke identification and transfer to a specialist hospital that can perform mechanical thrombectomy is the top priority for LVO stroke patients,” said Dr. Raul Nogueira, Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Radiology at Emory University and the Immediate-Past President, Society of Vascular & Interventional Neurology. “This software is designed to help identify appropriate patients earlier and more often, and enable faster transfer and treatment, which, ultimately may result in improved patient outcomes.

Noted Cardiologist ERC Topol, who is Professor of Genomics and holds the Scripps endowed chair in innovative medicine, has now written a book that calls for the “creative destruction” of the current medical paradigm, which he believes has failed to keep up with the digitized world of interactivity, social media, computers, apps, and advanced engineering and electronics.

In his book, he lambasts current day medicine as being archaic and wasteful, making his case with a compelling blend of statistics, anecdotes. Prof. Topol believes that consumers teaming up with innovators in the med-digital world are the key to forcing change, which is certainly true. But how exactly will this work?

The NITI Aayog discussion paper says AI is a constellation of technologies that enables machines to act with higher levels of intelligence and emulate the human capabilities of sense, comprehend and act. Thus, computer vision and audio processing can actively perceive the world around them by acquiring and processing images, sound and speech.

The natural language processing and inference engines can enable AI systems to analyze and understand the information collected. An AI system can also act through technologies such as expert systems and inference engines or undertake actions in the physical world. These human capabilities are augmented by the ability to learn from experience and keep adapting over time. AI systems are finding ever-wider application to supplement these capabilities across enterprises as they grow in sophistication. The paper says healthcare is one of the most dynamic, yet challenging, sectors in India, and is expected to grow to USD 280 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of upwards of 16%, from the current ~USD 100 billion.

Adoption of AI for healthcare applications is expected to see an exponential increase in the next few years. Technology disruptions like AI are once-in-generation phenomenon, and hence large-scale adoption strategies, especially national strategies, need to strike a balance between narrow definitions of financial impact and the greater good. NITI Aayog has decided to focus on five sectors that are envisioned to benefit the most from AI in solving societal needs: a) Healthcare: increased access and affordability of quality healthcare; b) Agriculture: enhanced farmers’ income, increased farm productivity and reduction of wastage; c) Education: improved access and quality of education; d) Smart Cities and Infrastructure: efficient connectivity for the burgeoning urban population; and e) Smart Mobility and Transportation: smarter and safer modes of transportation and better traffic and congestion problems.

Yet, it faces major challenges of quality, accessibility, and affordability for a large section of the population:

A: Shortage of qualified healthcare professionals and services like qualified doctors, nurses, technicians and infrastructure: as evidenced in 0.76 doctors and 2.09 nurses per 1,000 population (as compared to WHO recommendations of 1 doctor and 2.5 nurses per 1,000 population respectively) and 1.3 hospital beds per 1,000 population as compared to WHO recommended 3.5 hospital beds per 1,000 population.

B: Non-uniform accessibility to healthcare across the country with physical access continuing to be the major barrier to both preventive and curative health services, and glaring disparity between rural and urban India. With most of the private facilities concentrated in and around tier 1 and tier 2 cities, patients have to travel substantial distances for basic and advanced healthcare services.

The problem is further accentuated by lack of consistent quality in healthcare across India, most of the services provided are individually driven rather than institution driven, and less than 2% of hospitals in India are accredited.

The post AI Engraving Footprints on Healthcare Transcontinental Canvas appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

Vision on Blindness Cure Needs Aggressive Approach

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 10:31:24 +0000

Despite current measures, blindness in the world is increasing by 1 to 2 million cases per year – the result is a 100% increase in world blindness by the year 2020 unless more aggressive measures are in place.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of visual impairment is either preventable or curable with treatment. As of 2015, there were 940 million people with some degree of vision loss. 246 million had low vision and over 45 million were blind with 60% of these individuals living in China, India and Sub-Saharan Africa. Majority of people with poor vision reside in the developing world and are over the age of 50 years. Visual impairments have considerable economic costs both directly due to the cost of treatment and indirectly due to decreased ability to work.
Also Read: Artificial Retinas

India is home to over 8 million blind people, another 50 million have moderate to severe vision impairment. The loss of sight causes enormous human suffering for the affected individuals and their families. It also represents public health, social and economic problem for countries, especially the developing ones, where 9 out of 10 of the world’s blind live.
Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment or vision loss, is a decreased ability to see to a degree that causes problems not fixable by usual means. The term blindness is used for complete or nearly complete vision loss. Visual impairment may cause people difficulties with normal daily activities such as driving, reading, socializing and walking.
The most common causes of visual impairment globally are uncorrected refractive errors (43%), cataracts (33%), and glaucoma (2%). Refractive errors include nearsighted, farsighted, presbyopia and astigmatism. Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness. Other disorders that may cause visual problems include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, corneal clouding, childhood blindness, and a number of infections. Screening for vision problems in children may improve future vision and educational achievement.
According to Mr. J.P. Nadda, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, “The central government is committed, inter alia, to developing and strengthening the strategy of NPCB towards ‘Eye Health for All’ by way of preventing visual impairment through provisioning of comprehensive universal eyecare services and quality service deliveries”.
Mr. Ashwani Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare says, “Despite greater awareness and policy interventions, blindness in the world is increasing phenomenally and according to WHO unless more aggressive measures are taken, there may be 100 percent increase in blindness by the year 2020. This is highly alarming & needs drastic wholesale measures”.
This calls for reducing the backlog of avoidable blindness through identification and treatment of curable blind at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, based on an assessment of the overall burden of visual impairment in the country.
Optometrists as the first point of contact for primary eye care services and equipped with the requisite knowledge and expertise, thus create a huge impact in preventing this avoidable blindness & vision impairment.
Mr. Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State, Labour & Employment says, “The traditional core of optometry has been the assessment of visual health and management strategies centered on spectacle lens and contact lens therapy. This core, however, has expanded greatly over the past century to include a number of other important services. Today’s optometry professionals are well educated and well trained to provide the full range of services thereby enhancing vision, protecting the health and preventing avoidable blindness due to refractive errors and visual impairment by over 80%”.
Mr. Ashok Siddharth, MP (Rajya Sabha) & Member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare noted that “Optometrists today provide approximately two-thirds of all eye care in the country and are prepared to meet the growing needs of the public”.
“The role of optometrists in tackling the problem of refractive error and visual impairment is important. Timely detection of refractive errors and their correction by spectacle can not only improve the child’s potential during the formative years but also prevent complications associated with uncorrected refractive error” said Dr. Promila Gupta, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
The hard work and devotion of Indian optometrists within their profession and around their communities thus provide an invaluable service to millions of Indian citizens. Without their dedication, desire to serve the community and professionalism in delivering excellent eye care services; our fellow countrymen would not enjoy the optimal vision they have today.
In the backdrop of the above, Indian Optometric Association, the apex industry association representing approximately 12,000 Doctors of Optometry, optometry students, and paraoptometric assistants accessible to the common public.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Anil Tyagi, President, Indian Optometric Association said “AIOC has become synonymous with providing participants from across India & abroad, an excellent opportunity to share their research, experiences & optometry advancements. They sought to generate, from the conference, a better understanding of the role of optometry in eradicating the 80 percent avoidable blindness in India and other developing countries. The key to success would be making primary eye-care services easily accessible &economicaaly viable for a common public”
AIOC 2018 Organising Secretary, Dr. Subodh Dixit said: “the 37th AIOC 2018 conference spread over 16 interactive sessions & 10 workshops showcased over 75 prolific speakers, nearly 600 plus industry delegates & 20+ exhibitors; thus, offering exceptional value both as a traditional technical conference & a global networking forum”.
Dr. Rajeev Prasad, Conference Chairman, AIOC 2018 added that “the All India Optometry Conference (AIOC 2018) engaged collective experience & expertise of practitioners, optometrists, industry partners, academia, and technology organizations to discuss, deliberate, share & learn the best of practices and leadership traits”.

The post Vision on Blindness Cure Needs Aggressive Approach appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

HOW TELE-HEALTH CAN BRING DIABETES CARE TO THE COMMON MAN

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 10:16:29 +0000

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How Tele-Health can bring Diabetes Care to the Common Man
Naveen Gulati is the co-founder of Open Mind Services Limited, an outsourcing company that is invested heavily in bringing perceptible changes in the state of affairs of Health Services in India.

Diabetes, the plague of this generation, needs qualified support for patients to eliminate fear and preventable sufferings. Tele Health Help Desk offers precisely that solution- Patient relationship management that acts as a single point of contact for patients and their caretakers and provides a dedicated helpline to diabetes patients, ensuring that a hospital or Pharma Company’s brand value augments its reputation in the process. Innovation is the cornerstone of competitive advantage, and we are excited to change the old approach. Will you be a forerunner?

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Diabetes is a modern day dragon that is threatening to affect a big section of the masses of the present century. The numbers are stunning beyond belief: Nearly 50 million suffer from the deadly lifestyle disease. Average cost of treatment of each diabetic patient is approximately Rs. 6000 a year, as per IDF Atlas, 2014. And this cost does not include any cost associated with more serious complications like diabetes foot, kidney and eye disease due to diabetes.

With the huge number of diabetes patients- 50 million or 5 crores- the combined colossal amount makes a big dent in any country’s economy, fragile as it is due to continuous recession around the globe.

Besides expenditure, there is a big shortage of trained workforce at all levels, especially the lowest and middle rung of the society. According to recent studies, underprivileged sections of society in urban ghettos are particularly vulnerable, if not more than as much as the rising classes.

The lack of specialized human resources is proving a major deterrent in fighting the monster and preventing major losses like diabetic nephropathy, cardiac complications and diabetic retinopathy.

Picture the scenario outside a health facility, endocrinologists are struggling to muddle through the thronging flock of patients. The benches outside the room are all crammed to capacity, the cacophony increasing with each passing minute. Waiting is never supposed to give any kind of pleasure; it is always a compromise of the poor. Challenge is defined thus. Even a willing and able doctor will be exasperated with so much to do in so little time.

So, how can the healthcare system meet this need?

First and foremost, technology should be used to offer prevention as well as treatment of diabetes. The age old adage of cure being an after-thought should be the primary motive for preferring prevention as its go-to strategy.

Experienced and well equipped tele-health companies can play a critical role by collaborating with medical institutions and the government for proactive tele health solutions that would minimize hospital visits as well as create an empathetic environment for patients to come back to, via the telephone of course!

There are a few organizations that specialize in the sphere of empathy calls and history tracking. Their tele health division is well respected for employing state of the art software that helps in tracking every single detail of all the patients and in the same time helps in issuing alerts and emergencies regarding patients.

The positive message of the services—helping patients adapt to daily life without too many restraints —is the key to success.

If we have a senior citizen diabetic whose blood sugar shot up to 300, because she couldn’t resist her grandson’s birthday cake, empathy urges us to accept what has occurred, and respond, “What’s life without celebrations and a little piece of cake!”

Bringing patients within your desired goalposts by teaching them to build their diet around a family event is more realistic than preaching the more stern and unwelcoming, “Never eat dessert.”

The challenge before hospitals is to develop a centralized function to act as the single point of contact for the end-users (patients) who require assistance for resolution of problems, concerns, question and requests. The need of the hour is a Dedicated Empathetic Helpdesk for Hospitals that would help your facility build a strong bond and a stronger brand with your customers – Patients and Prospects- before and after they are in your premises. Such improved communications, based on a predictive marketing model, result in building and sustaining trust in your facility, a crucial task in the healthcare business.

Our tele health help desk has made significant positive changes by improving customer satisfaction and exceeding performance targets. One of our clients has authorized us to disclose their figures:

1. Operational Savings of Rs. 22 lakh annually.
2. Patient retention has increased by a sizeable 8%.
3. Higher level of customer satisfaction.

It’s going to be increasingly important for you to know what’s happening when patients leave your facility.

A handful of futuristic companies, led by charismatic pioneers are engaged in providing helpdesk services to medical institutions that act as the preferred medium of interaction between them and their patients. An explainer video presentation that describes tele health services and benefits thereof can open your mind to exciting new possibilities of retaining patients and providing care for them better than ever before. You can also watch the video directly on YouTube at the URL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c57rTr-l64

The process of proactive patient relationship management is still in a nascent stage in India. Change is beckoning you, the risk-taker and innovator. Today is a good day to do that, no?

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