Samsung’s EYELIKE(tm) Fundus Camera Powers Technology To Protect People and the Planet – Samsung Global Newsroom
Samsung Electronics demonstrates a year’s worth of improvements in providing greater access to eyecare in India, Morocco and Papua New Guinea by upcycling Galaxy technology
The theme of this year’s World Health Day — Our Planet, Our Health — demonstrates the understanding that human health is deeply interconnected with environmental health. Through the Galaxy Upcycling program, Samsung Electronics has been on a mission to develop innovative, sustainable practices that not only preserve the planet’s resources but also bridge barriers to accessible and affordable health care.
In recognition of World Health Day, Samsung Newsroom is looking back at the first year of the program’s implementation, which has upcycled hundreds of secondhand Galaxy devices and provided basic eye care for over 3,000 patients in Morocco, India and Papua New Guinea.
Upcycling Galaxy Technology Into Diagnosis Cameras
Globally, 1. 1 billion people suffer from vision loss — 90% of which live in low- and middle-income countries and lack access to affordable and quality eye health care. Samsung has teamed up with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and Yonsei University Health System to make old Galaxy technology medical diagnostic cameras. These fundus cameras allow medical professionals and patients to be screened for potential blindness.
” We are proud to have our Samsung team infuse upcycled tech to diagnose visual impairments in patients using the EYELIKE(tm platform.” said Dr. Aloknath De Executive Consulting Director Open Innovation at Samsung R&D Institute, Bangalore.
Establishing Accessible Eye Care Services in Morocco
Since the introduction of EYELIKE(tm) in Morocco, Samsung has partnered with Global Care and 21 other organizations — including public health centers and private clinics — to repurpose 60 units of older smartphones into the EYELIKE(tm) Fundus Camera.
“In Morocco we are short of medical staff and equipment for the eye, so EYELIKE(tm), I believe, will provide huge benefits, especially to those who live in rural areas,” stated Mohcine AitHida, an optician.
Local optometrists have been using the camera to screen over 2,028 patients and provide post-diagnosis care, including prescribing glasses for 128 people, scheduling follow-up appointments with 205 people and connecting 50 people to eye hospitals for additional medical treatment.
Conducting Patient Outreach Programs in India
Recognizing that blindness is a prevailing problem in India, Samsung has upcycled nearly 200 units of secondhand smartphones and provided them to local hospitals. Jamuna Prasad, a patient who had been prescribed glasses over the past year for declining vision, has found this innovative solution to be an important breakthrough. He was finally diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy after his eyes were examined by the EYELIKE(tm), Fundus Camera at Sitapur Eye Hospital. According to his optometrists, Jamuna’s eyesight has been improving ever since.
However, patients in rural areas may not have access to the same vision centers as Jamuna Prasad. Optometrists are able to travel to rural villages to screen potential patients for eye disease thanks to their portable cameras. As a result of the EYELIKE(tm) Fundus Camera, over 1,000 patients in India have received screenings through both local medical institutions and outreach programs.
Training Medical Staff in Papua New Guinea
Retinal diseases are often difficult to treat in Papua New Guinea. Many health facilities struggle to locate trained eye doctors. The country’s high rate of blindness only makes this situation worse. For a population of over 9 million, there are only 14 trained ophthalmologists and three fundus cameras nationwide.
” “We are currently training doctors in hopes that they can help diagnose patients nationally and improve people’s understanding of their illnesses.” We’re training doctors to help them diagnose and understand the diseases they suffer .”
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The EYELIKE(tm), a program that trains doctors, nurses, and clinic personnel in rural areas, is helping to close the gap in health equity by screening patients with the device. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions causing a delay in patient screenings, Dr. Garap looks forward to resuming these screenings this year. She hopes to dispatch additional trainers to rural communities to provide staff with further training, in addition to conducting research on rare eye disorders such as Eales disease with the EYELIKE(tm) devices.
Advancing Samsung’s Sustainability Vision
Samsung intends to increase this collaboration as part of its mission of harnessing technology to benefit humanity. This partnership will include continuous technical support and open cooperation to ensure that patients are screened and trained throughout the country.
Samsung is dedicated to delivering innovative technologies that help build a better future and empower users to adopt more sustainable practices. Through Galaxy for the Planet, Samsung is taking concrete actions to lower our environmental footprint and transform consumer experiences. EYELIKE(tm) specifically helps Samsung minimize its environmental impact by supporting its goal to achieve zero waste to landfills and reduce e-waste by 2025.
About International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is the overarching alliance for the global eye health sector, with more than 150 organizations in over 100 countries working together for a world where everyone has universal access to eye care. IAPB focuses on advocacy efforts to unite the sector behind the recommendations of the World Report on Vision and the Sustainable Development Goals.
About Yonsei University Health System
Yonsei University Health System (YUHS) is the first modern medical institution in South Korea, and it has been a leading medical institution in the country for more than 130 years. The YonseiUniversity Health System includes Severance Hospital as well as YonseiUniversity College of Medicine.