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A Scottish Company named Epipole based in Rosyth, have developed a nifty little hand held device which has become the first portable camera capable of diagnosing diabetic retinopathy. The condition is responsible for two million diagnosed cases of preventable sight loss worldwide and now the commercial reality of this camera becoming a worldwide weapon to fight the threat of blindness is highly exciting. The company are expecting this to soon become a reality having just signed an investment deal worth four hundred thousand pounds which is also the very first major signing for a new Scottish syndicate called Lancaster Capital. Lancaster Capital's members invest in dynamic early stage and high growth companies based in Scotland that develop innovative technology with a high potential for growth.The hope is for the device to migrate out to bigger countries that do not have such high standards of health care as here at home. Countries like India for example and neighboring developing nations.The reality is that within three years earlier intervention in such situations will be possible using the Epipole product and the figures for preventable blindness will be reduced.The Syndicate have been involved since the prototype stage for the development of the camera with an initial grant being pledged of £55000.
The camera itself is designed to detect symptoms such as blood clots on the back of the eye and will only cost around a thousand pounds to buy for the hardware and software package. That package will enable the results from the camera to be sent remotely back to health officials as it will have a USB connection.