Dr. Simone Brandão, an ophthalmologist and professor at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), has been using the Eyer fundus camera for over two years. Since then, she has conducted over 5,000 exams at her clinic, in classrooms, at the São Carlos Teaching Hospital, and as part of a social project developed by the Academic League of Ophthalmology at UFSCar.
Due to her extensive use of the device, Phelcom invited Dr. Brandão to test Eyer2, a comprehensive visual examination platform that captures high-quality images of both the posterior and anterior segments.
The increase in the field of view (FOV) of retinal images from 45° to 55° now allows for the photo documentation of the ocular and periocular surface in a single image, reducing the need for multiple shots. Additionally, the device’s flash is more patient-friendly, enhancing the overall examination experience,” explains Brandão, a specialist in oculoplastic surgery.
With new embedded tools and improved features, the new equipment makes it possible to detect various diseases and conditions of the anterior segment of the eye, such as blepharitis and other eyelash alterations, meibomian gland dysfunction, styes, conjunctival tumors, eyelid tumors, advanced cataracts, foreign bodies, burns, corneal lesions and general keratitis caused by dry eye, contact lenses, infections and ulcers, among others.
Cases
Brandão recently encountered a patient with a welding burn. “I took the photo with the Eyer2 and showed the patient how his eye looked when he didn’t wear the goggles during welding,” she says.
In another case, a patient reported that she had hit her eye with a leaf, but had not hurt herself. Much to the patient’s surprise, the ophthalmologist carried out an examination and detected an eye injury. In another situation, a patient developed an ulcer after his son threw water in his eyes while playing in the pool.
Eyer2 examination of a patient with an eye ulcer after playing in the pool with his son.
Dr. Brandão uses the portable fundus camera during all her appointments, allowing patients to view their own fundus in real-time during the examination. “Real-time imaging not only educates but also motivates patients, helping them better understand their condition which enhances their commitment to treatment and recovery,” Dr. Brandão explains.
The exams are documented instantly on EyerCloud, a cloud platform. At subsequent appointments, the doctor reviews the images and shows the before and after of the treatment. “After an operation, a patient said that the suture in her eye was imperceptible. I took the picture and we could perfectly see the 10-0 thread, which is thinner than a strand of hair,” she recalls.
For Brandão, the platform speeds up the process of issuing reports and allows exams to be accessed and shared quickly, facilitating communication with other health professionals, students and the patient themselves. “On one occasion, a colleague requested tests for a patient hospitalized at the São Carlos Teaching Hospital. I accessed EyerCloud remotely, issued the report, and shared it instantly.”
Before adopting Eyer, Dr. Brandão would often search for images on Google to explain conditions to her patients. Now, she accesses EyerCloud to display real, relevant images that depict both healthy eyes and those with specific diseases.
New features
The doctor also highlights the practicality of Eyer2’s magnetized connection module, which makes it easier to change modules during exams and does not detach from the equipment, making the process more efficient and precise.
Infrared light and cobalt light are also new features in the Eyer2 portable fundus camera, which the ophthalmologist has already used. “For example, sometimes in a blepharoplasty post-surgery, complications such as keratitis can occur. I apply the fluorescein and take the photo with the cobalt light so that the patient understands the picture. What’s more, this combination of techniques allows for a more precise and detailed assessment of eye conditions, helping with diagnosis, treatment and patient follow-up,” she adds.
Cobalt light examination with the Eyer2 of a patient with an eye ulcer after playing in the pool with his son.
Infrared light helps to detect changes in the choroid as it penetrates deeper into the structures in the back of the eye, and to perform meibography. This test, which assesses the meibomian glands located in the eyelid, is essential in the investigation of dry eye syndrome, a disease that affects 26 million people in Brazil alone, according to the Brazilian Ophthalmology Society (SBO).
Home care
For Brandão, another advantage of the Eyer2 is the image quality of the anterior and posterior segments in unfavorable situations, such as home care. “I have a patient who is bedridden and I went to do the exams at her home. With the Eyer2, you practically have a hand-held slit lamp, as it enables clear and detailed visualization of the eyelid region, conjunctiva and eyelashes, even in a room where the light was not ideal”.
Beyond home care, Dr. Brandão also utilizes the device at the teaching hospital and university. “After the students had undergone various examinations, I had to contact Phelcom’s technical assistance to resolve a specific issue. Immediately, the team accessed it remotely, but the equipment had to go back to the factory. I was without it for a few days and then I realized that I could no longer live without Eyer,” she jokes.
Dr. Brandão notes that, beyond its superior image quality, Eyer2 has significantly accelerated her consultations by often eliminating the need for mydriasis. “Now, I use this extra time to explain the results and treatments to patients, who also no longer have to spend hours in the office waiting for the eye drops to take effect or go elsewhere for the fundus imaging and then return with the results.”
Examination with Eyer2 by Dr Brandão shows a wart on the edge of the PSE.
Eyer2
Eyer2’s portable fundus camera is equipped with cutting-edge features designed to simplify clinical workflow and elevate diagnostic accuracy. Infrared light assists in detecting choroidal changes and performing meibography, while cobalt blue light aids in identifying corneal lesions. This technology allows for the detection of numerous anterior segment conditions, including blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, eyelid tumors, and keratitis.
The Eyer2 platform is a game-changer in clinical practice, offering streamlined examinations, comprehensive diagnostic capabilities, and powerful technological tools that enhance patient care.
Key features include:
Single-click registration
Ergonomic design for enhanced comfort during examinations
Portable imaging platform offering six distinct recording modalities, without the need for pupil dilation
High-quality 55° color fundus imaging for detecting peripheral retinal lesions;
Instant red-free imaging following color capture
Posterior segment imaging with infrared light, crucial for assessing deeper retinal areas without patient discomfort, such as choroidal nevus and evaporative dry eye
3D effect of the optic disc
Panoramic retinal image up to 120°
High-definition documentation of the ocular surface for disease monitoring;
Cobalt blue light for corneal lesion assessment
Portability for use in various clinical settings, remote areas, and for bedridden or neonatal patients
Seamless integration with EyerMaps, an AI-driven tool that highlights potential retinal anomalies in seconds
Connectivity with EyerCloud, an online platform for managing examinations.
About Phelcom
Phelcom Technologies is a Brazilian medtech company based in São Carlos, in the interior area of São Paulo. The company’s story began in 2016, when three young researchers – a physicist, an electronics engineer and a computer engineer (physics, electronics, computing) – created a portable fundus camera integrated with a smartphone.
The first prototype project was born from partner Diego Lencione’s interest in visual health, as his brother has a condition that has severely compromised his retina and vision since childhood.
In 2019, Phelcom launched its first product on the Brazilian market: the Eyer portable fundus camera. Today, the technology has reached more than two million people throughout Brazil and in the countries where it is present and has been used in more than 100 community screenings.
The Meibomian glands, located in the tarsal plates of the eyelids, play a crucial role in producing the lipid layer of the tear film—the outermost layer of the tear film. This layer is essential for stabilizing the tear film, preventing tear evaporation, and maintaining the homeostasis of the ocular surface. Dysfunction of the Meibomian glands (MGD) disrupts tear film stability, leading to ocular surface imbalance.
MGD results from altered meibomian secretion quality, gland dropout, and/or ductal obstruction. One of the most effective tests for assessing Meibomian gland morphology is Meibography, a technique that provides in vivo visualization of these glands.
Propaedeutic evaluation of dry eye: beyond Meibography
Dry eye diagnostic tests include evaluating tear film stability and volume, ocular surface damage with vital dyes such as fluorescein or rose bengal, lid assessments, and Meibomian gland examination.
Meibography using infrared light with the Eyer2 portable fundus camera.Meibography with the Eyer2 portable fundus camera and anterior segment module.
Phelcom has recently revolutionized this field by incorporating infrared imaging into its new Eyer2 portable device, making meibography more practical. The Eyer2’s anterior segment module enables both meibography and examinations for corneal and conjunctival epithelial cell changes using cobalt blue light and fluorescein.
Corneal damage imaging with the Eyer2 fundus camera and fluorescein.
For a comprehensive dry eye diagnosis, other clinical evaluations such as the Schirmer test are recommended to differentiate between aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye.
Additional applications of Meibography
Meibography is also valuable in preoperative evaluations for refractive surgery, as dry eye, often linked to MGD, is a common postoperative complication. This exam provides preoperative documentation and gland monitoring, as well as patient education.
Furthermore, meibography can be utilized to assess eyelid impairment due to contact lens wear, allergic conjunctivitis reactions, antiglaucoma treatments, and other clinical conditions.
Eyer2
Phelcom proudly introduces the Eyer2, a versatile visual examination platform that delivers high-quality imaging of both the posterior and anterior segments.
This new equipment offers color and red-free fundus imaging with a new 55º field of view, along with tools for anterior segment imaging using various light sources, including cobalt blue light for corneal lesion assessment and infrared light for meibography.
Eyer2 with new anterior segment module
About Phelcom
Phelcom Technologies is a Brazilian medtech company based in São Carlos, in the interior area of São Paulo. The company’s story began in 2016, when three young researchers – a physicist, an electronics engineer and a computer engineer (physics, electronics, computing) – created a portable fundus camera integrated with a smartphone.
The first prototype project was born from Diego Lencione’s interest in visual health, as his brother has a condition that has severely compromised his retina and vision since childhood.
In 2019, Phelcom launched its first product on the Brazilian market: the Eyer portable fundus camera. Today, the technology has reached more than two million people throughout Brazil and in the countries where it is present and has been used in more than 100 community screenings.
Fontes: Wolffsohn et al. TFOS DEWS II Diagnostic Methodology report 2017 Magno et al. Hot towels: The bedrock of Meibomian gland dysfunction treatment – A review Arita. Meibography: A Japanese Perspective Reiko. 2018
Results of Renovatio, a non-profit organization that brings visual health and prescription glasses to those who need them the most, saw more than 410,000 eye treatments in 25 Brazilian states and three countries. They also donated more than 180,000 glasses.
According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), one in six Brazilians has a vision problem. With an adapted 100m² bus, transformed into two modern mobile eye clinics, Renovatio is able to serve medical deserts, such as remote towns, indigenous villages and riverside communities.
“We believe that the most difficult places to reach are the ones that need us the most. Today, 71% of Brazilian municipalities don’t even have an ophthalmologist,” says ophthalmologist and Renovatio’s medical director, Bruna Gil Ferreira.
Since 2022, Renovatio has been using the Eyer portable fundus camera to screen patients. They currently have almost 50 units. The main factors for choosing Eyer were its portability, the fact that it is a Brazilian product and the EyerCloud cloud platform, which allows exams to be stored and shared remotely and in real time.
“The possibility of sending the images for analysis and getting immediate medical consultations, even in remote areas, contributes to a more agile and effective assessment of patients. Sometimes I’m in São Paulo and I can access, in real time, the examination of a patient being treated in the Xingu Indigenous Park,” Ferreira points out.
Renovatio invested in Eyer because of the EyerCloud cloud platform, among other factors.
During the exams, the team evaluates the visual acuity, tonometry, keratometry and uses Eyer for fundus examinations. When Eyermaps artificial intelligence system detects possible retinal alterations, the patient is referred for a medical consultation with a specialist.
If an alteration is suspected, the AI generates a new image with a heatmap highlighting potential retinal abnormalities. The system can help detect diseases like glaucoma, Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, vascular tortuosity, occlusions, papilledema, retinitis pigmentosa,nevus, and many more.
Ferreira points out that most social work in the ophthalmology area follows protocols based only on visual acuity and, as a result, other diseases are not diagnosed. “Including Eyer in our protocol has contributed greatly to identifying silent diseases that can go unnoticed in screenings focused only on vision.”
A child being examined with Eyer during a social action by the NGO Renovatio.
Chorioretinitis caused by toxoplasmosis
By storing all the fundus images in EyerCloud, Renovatio carried out a comparative study of the frequency of chorioretinitis scars caused by toxoplasmosis in different regions of Brazil.
In total, 9,648 fundus images were evaluated:
Distrito Federal (DF) – 2.496;
Tocantins (TO) – 2.426;
São Paulo (SP) – 1.862;
Minas Gerais (MG) – 1.602;
Rio Grande do Norte (RN) – 742;
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – 502.
The majority of exams (89.04%) showed no alterations. Of the 10.95% of images with alterations, 7.09% contained suspicions and confirmations of chorioretinitis scars:
Tocantins (TO) – 62,7%;
Minas Gerais (MG) – 14,7%;
Distrito Federal (DF) – 10,07%;
São Paulo (SP) – 8%;
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – 2,7%;
Rio Grande do Norte (RN) – 1,3%.
Among the results obtained in all states, there was a higher prevalence in women (74.7%) and a higher number of cases in the left eye (37.3%), followed by both eyes (33.3%) and then the right eye (29.3%).
It is also worth noting that the state of Tocantins had the highest incidence of the disease in the left eye (26.7%), in both eyes (17.3%) and in the right eye (18.7% of diagnosed cases).
The use of Eyer integrated with EyerCloud allowed Renovatio to carry out this important mapping, which can help with future management of toxoplasmosis, a pathology that can lead to loss of vision.
NGO Renovatio has already traveled to 25 Brazilian states providing free ophthalmic consultations and donating prescription glasses to those who need them most.
Eyer
Eyer is a portable fundus camera that works with an integrated smartphone to perform high-quality retinal examinations in just a few minutes without the need for pupil dilation.
Currently, more than 15 million tests have been carried out in Brazil, the United States, Chile, Colombia and Japan. The technology is also present in the United Arab Emirates and is in the regulatory process of being marketed in Mexico, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Phelcom recently launched Eyer2, a true visual examination platform that allows you to capture the posterior and anterior segments with high quality images.
With new embedded tools and improved functions, the new equipment makes it possible to capture various conditions of the anterior segment of the eye, such as blepharitis,eyelash alterations, meibomian gland dysfunction, styes, conjunctival tumors, eyelid tumors, advanced cataracts, foreign bodies, burns, corneal lesions and keratitis in general, caused by dry eye, contact lenses, infections and ulcers.
Portability, connectivity and integration with intelligent functions such as EyerMaps, together with the technology’s affordability, are contributing to increased access to retinal examinations.
About Phelcom
Phelcom Technologies is a Brazilian medtech company based in São Carlos, in the interior area of São Paulo. The company’s story began in 2016, when three young researchers – a physicist, an electronics engineer and a computer engineer (physics, electronics, computing) – created a portable fundus camera integrated with a smartphone.
The first prototype project was born out of partner Diego Lencione’s interest in visual health, as his brother has had a condition that has severely compromised his retina and vision since childhood.
In 2019, Phelcom launched its first product in the Brazilian market: the Eyer portable fundus camera. Today, the technology has reached more than two million people throughout Brazil and in the countries where it is present and has been used in more than 100 community screenings.
In October of last year, the NGO Médicos da Amazônia undertook a mission with a special objective: to provide complete, free eye care to approximately 500 indigenous people from the Marmelos Village, in Amazonas.
The NGO offers health acess to Brazilian indigenous communities through specialized care, modern and advanced techniques and equipment, and highly trained professional, always respecting the ancestry of their cultures and values. Since its foundation, in 2015, it has carried out more than 64 thousand medical and dental consultations and procedures.
To document the patients’ fundus and anterior segment, the voluteer medical team used the Phelcom Eyer smartdevice. The device works in conjuction with a smartphone and performs high-quality retinal examinations in a few minutes without the need for pupil dilation. As it is integrated with the clooud, it automatically males the data available on the Eyercloud online platform for analysis by a specialist anywhere. In other words, it enables remote diagnosis.
“As well as being portable and not needing internet at the time of the examination, Eyer optimizes care and does all the documentation for patients, wich allows them to be followed up correctly. This is essential for any action in remote areas”, says ophthalmologist Jade Fernandes de Melo, one of the project’s volunteers.
The main retinal diseases diagnosed by the NGO were diabetic retinophaty, glaucoma, Age-related macular disease (AMD) and asteroid hyalosis, among others. The doctors also detected cataracts, refractive alterations and pterygium. The patients were referred to indigenous Health for treatment.
Melo evaluates the device as easy to use, self-taught, with excellent image quality and essential in primary care. “The Eyer can make a difference to many people’s lives by bringing ophthalmic access to remote communities with a lack of health infrastructure”, Melo believes.
Minutes. This is the average time that the Brazilian client, who value immediate feedback, wait for Phelcom’s customer support department to solve technical issues, clarify doubts, request support materials or schedule training.
In other countries, even if the customer usually prefers a different approach, requesting support via email, agility is still Phelcom’s trademark. “Normally, the foreign clients don’t call us as soon as the problem appears, but when they have time between their appointments.” explains Phelcom’s customer support analyst, Leonardo Chagas Pizzo.
To guarantee this agility, Phelcom chose to have its own local team in Brazil. “Unlike other services, our clients don’t wait in digital lines. We’re here to solve their problems quickly and try to reduce the bureaucracy”, says Phelcom’s technical support, Hygor Nunes.
As a result, the team has developed a close relationship with many clients. “Today, we are able to identify each person’s profile, being able to serve them in a personalized way, according to their necessities”, explains Phelcom’s customer support coordinator, Rodrigo Cabrera.
Phelcom’s customer support team in Brazil
Trainings
After purchasing a Phelcom Technologies product, the support customer team gets in touch to schedule online training on how to use the equipment and its on board technologies, such as the online exam management platform, EyerCloud and the artificial intelligence system EyerMaps, that accurately detects various changes in the retina.
“Eyer is a multifunctional fundus camera that offers a variety of features and it’s important to train our clients to make the most of all the device’s functionalities.”, says Phelcom’s customer support intern, Pablo Sathler.
However, training is optional. “We make our schedule available so that the client can choose the best day and time for them. Besides that, we also ask for at least two people to be present so that they can have the experience of making images with each other, aligning possible doubts about use.”, emphasizes Phelcom’s customer support analyst, Tatiane Fragalli.
Cabrera explains that, in addition to the initial training, clients can take as many courses as they wish during the one-year Eyer warranty period. “Often, clients want to ask questions about how to edit images or configure circuits, for example. So we prepare customized training courses according to their needs.”
Phelcom also continuously makes educational and support materials available to answer the most frequently asked questions, such as folders, videos in the form of information pills and infographics with detailed guidelines and practical tips to maximize the use of Eyer. To get access, just contact the Customer Support department via email support@phelcom.com.
For technical support, Phelcom uses a communication system for opening tickets directly on this link: phelcom.com/servicecenter, which guarantees more agility and transparency.
Tatiane Fragalli provides online training on how to handle the Eyer family of products.
Eyer
Eyer supports the diagnosis of more than 50 diseases, including glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, AMD, ROP, retinoblastoma, hypertensive retinopathy and ocular toxoplasmosis. Currently, more than 10 million tests have been carried out in Brazil, the United States, Chile, Colombia and Japan.
It was recently approved in the United Arab Emirates and is in the regulatory process of being marketed in Mexico, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Portability, connectivity and integration with intelligent functions such as EyerMaps, together with the technology’s affordability, are contributing to increased access to retinal examinations.
Phelcom recently launched Eyer2, a portable fundus and eye camera that offers high-quality images of the posterior and anterior segments.
About Phelcom
Phelcom Technologies is a Brazilian medtech company based in São Carlos, in the interior area of São Paulo. The company’s story began in 2016, when three young researchers – a physicist, an electronics engineer and a computer engineer (physics, electronics, computing) – created a portable fundus camera integrated with a smartphone.
The first prototype project was born out of partner Diego Lencione’s interest in visual health, as his brother has had a condition that has severely compromised his retina and vision since childhood.
Doctor Iddi Ndyabawe, ophthalmologist and a passionate ROP specialist in Uganda, East Africa, was responsible for the very first ROP study in the country, published by BMC Ophthalmology in 2023. He’s currently involved in Adult Retina services as well, working in a screening project for diagnosing CMV Retinitis in HIV patients with meningitis admitted at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital and Mulago National Referral Hospital. He also offers Diabetic Retinopathy screening services to private patients at Kisubi Hospital.
Dr Iddi in the Aravind Eye Hospital Library, Coimbatore India
Dr. Iddi got to know about the Eyer Retinal Camera in February 2023, when Nurse Nancy Maria Douat Dietrich from Santa Catarina, Brazil came along with the high quality images device and joined the ROP screening activities at Kawempe National Referral Hospital.
“When Nancy saw my passion for ROP in Uganda, she communicated with Mr. Jose Augusto, CEO of Phelcom, who then sent me an Eyer Fundus camera by June 2023 as a support for my humble efforts in ROP “, recalls Dr. Iddi.
Dr Iddi training in laser therapy for ROP on an eye model
Dr. Iddi crossing the flooded roads to reach the village NICU to conduct ROP screening
According to Dr. Iddi, the main advantages of the Eyer Fundus Camera for his medical practice are:
Eyer takes clear resolution images for best diagnosis of posterior disease;
It is perfect at CDR assessment;
Eyer can easily pick out the hyperemic disc in optic neuritis that could easily be missed;
EyerMaps heat map is perfect in pointing where the clinician should pay more attention.
Dr. Iddi mentions as well that the portability and non-mydriatic use of Eyer Fundus Camera, which allows him to perform examinations in different scenarios. He recalls one particular Sunday when a relative came in complaining of reduced vision. He was able to discover a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis right there in his own home.
About the Eyer
Eyer Portable Fundus Camera
The Eyer is a portable fundus camera that works in conjunction with a smartphone and performs high-quality retinal examinations in a few minutes without the need for pupil dilation.
The technology supports the diagnosis of more than 50 diseases, including glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, AMD, retinoblastoma, hypertensive retinopathy and ocular toxoplasmosis. Currently, more than 10 million tests have been carried out in Brazil, the United States, Chile and Colombia.
The technology’s portability and affordability democratize access to retinal examinations. It costs approximately six times less than a conventional tabletop fundus camera, which still needs to be integrated with a computer.
About Phelcom
Phelcom Technologies is a Brazilian medtech company based in São Carlos, in the interior area of São Paulo. The company’s story began in 2016, when three young researchers – a physicist, an electronics engineer and a computer engineer (physics, electronics, computing) – created a portable fundus camera integrated with a smartphone.
The idea for the first prototype was realized by Diego Lencione’s interest in visual health, as his brother has had a condition that has severely compromised his retina and vision since childhood.
In 2019, Phelcom launched its first product on the Brazilian market: the Eyer portable fundus camera. Today, the technology has reached more than two million people across Brazil and worldwide.
In four years, the company has participated in more than 100 social actions and was recently named one of the 10 most innovative companies in Brazil by Forbes.
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