Ophthalmologist Balamurali Krishna Ambati, known as “Bala” Ambati, is the youngest doctor in the world, according to the Guiness Book of Records. At the age of 17, he graduated in medicine in Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York (USA), in 1995.

After that, he did residency in ophthalmology at Harvard University, where he developed strategies to reverse corneal angiogenesis. Since then, he has helped various non-profit organizations all over the world, such as ORBIS – Cooperation and Development and Sight for the Sightless, which acts to combat blindness in the Indian countryside. 

He received various important awards for his work, such as the Gold Humanism Award and the Troutman-Veronneau Prize. Nowadays, he leads the clinic Pacific Clear Vision Institute, in Eugene, in the state of Oregon (USA). 

For six months, the ophthalmologist has been using the Eyer Portable Fundus Camera in the clinic, on a daily basis. The technology works coupled to a smartphone, to carry out high-quality retinal exams in a few minutes, without need of pupil dilation.

“We acquired the Phelcom Eyer camera about 6 months ago and have been incredibly pleased with it.  Its image quality, easy to use and easy to learn form factor, panoramic image stitching, and heat maps make photo acquisition and image transfer to the EMR seamless”, highlights Ambati.

The doctor remarks that using the equipment does not break the clinic workflow and points out the capacity to acquire images through a 2,5mm-wide pupil as “impressive”. 

Furthermore, the ease of taking photos and making the documentation simplifies the doctors’ work. The exams are automatically sent to EyerCloud, a platform for remote diagnosis.

Another pro from Eyer is its portability: one can handle it manually or stabilize it on a slit lamp.

The patient becomes more engaged in the treatment, according to Ambati

As it makes device imaging available in real time, Ambati says the patients appreciate the chance to learn about their condition and what goes on with their retinas.

The ophthalmologist tells that both them and the medical team were impressed by the way the heat maps of retinal elevation reveal the pathology. “It is a factor that motivates patients to be involved with the treatment and take diabetes or DMRI seriously”, he says. 

Phelcom Eyer

Phelcom Eyer is a portable fundus camera that works coupled to a smartphone and carries out high-quality retina exams, in a few minutes and without the need of pupil dilation.

The technology can identify more than 50 diseases, such as glaucoma, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, DMRI, retinoblastoma, hypertensive retinopathy and ocular toxoplasmosis. Currently, more than 10 million exams have already been carried out.

The device integrates to an online platform, Eyer Cloud, to which data is sent automatically. A specialist can analyze them remotely from anywhere in the world.

More than that, the embedded artificial intelligence provides intelligent functions to help the medical diagnosis and the capture of retinal exams. On the other hand, portability and the technology lower prices democratize the access to retina exams. 

Phelcom Technologies

Eyer is developed by Phelcom Technologies, a startup that invests in innovation and technology to democratize visual health. The company is headquartered in São Carlos-SP, Brazil and has an operation in Boston, USA.

Launched in April 2019, the technology has already reached more than 1,2 million people all over Brazil and in countries such as the United States, Chile, Japan and Colombia. 

The startup creates portable devices with embedded artificial intelligence, for immediate diagnoses. It aims to revert the fact that 75% of the 250 million cases of blindness or severe visual deficiency happen due to lack of prevention or wrong treatment.

In four years, the company already took part in more than 100 social actions, such as the largest joint effort for diabetes, in Itabuna (BA), and campaigns of the NGO Retina Global in Sergipe and Quenia. 

Recently, it was elected one of the 10 most innovative companies in Brazil by Forbes.

In 2023, Phelcom aims to launch new technologies and escalate the market in the United States.