The world health organization has identified myopia as the world's largest threat to eye health this century. Betterlab, a visionary industrial design partner for scientists and technologists, has developed a technology that reverses and prevents the emergence of myopia, a degenerative eye disease that leads to blindness is expected to affect half of the global population by 2050.
BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Launching today, Betterlab, an innovation partner based in Brooklyn, New York, led by visionary designer and strategist Todd Bracher has set out to tackle matters of global concern. Their first target is myopia, a severe condition that leads to retinal disease and increased risk of blindness.
Impact:
Between 2018 and 2050, worldwide blindness associated with myopia will triple, and estimates of a total societal cost associated with myopia will reach US $1.7 Trillion. Compared to costs of other major comorbidities in the US in 2018, myopia already ranks 11th, ahead of congestive heart failure, and lung and breast cancer.
Causes:
Myopia may be genetic for some, but this condition is due to cultural shifts worldwide for many others. Screentime has replaced outdoor time for children around the world. More than 33% of parents with a child under 12 say their child began interacting with a smartphone before the age of 5, a critical age when the eye is susceptible to developing this condition. Time spent away from natural light is known to influence myopia's development.
"At Betterlab, we are focused on solving matters of global concern. Understanding that half of the global population will be myopic by 2050 and that with science applied effectively, we can avoid this epidemic, we sought an inspired, scalable method to resolve this concern. Betterlab demonstrates the power of using design to convert emerging research for the greater good" - Todd Bracher, Founder, Betterlab.
Treatments:
There are methods available today that attempt to manage myopia. However, each system comes with complexities, varied results, ongoing costs, and social stigmas. With each system available today, while they attempt to treat myopia, they do not address the underlying cause.
Betterlab's Myopia-Preventing Eyewear:
Betterlab's approach promotes healthy eye development by both addressing and avoiding the emergence of myopia. Studies have demonstrated that exposure to sunlight regularly promotes healthy eye development. Light exposure of 480nm wavelength was found to trigger retinal dopamine release, having a positive effect on reducing axial elongation of the eye, the malformation responsible for myopia. Betterlab's patent-pending solution delivers in a minimal eyewear design where 'light rings' where embedded in the edge of the frame a photoluminescent material passively delivers 480nm spectrum light to the eye replicating the benefits of being outdoors, even when they are not.
About Betterlab:
Betterlab is a visionary Industrial Design partner that co-creates with scientists, technologists, and innovators to shape emerging research and foundational technologies into game-changing products and solutions that improves our bodies, minds, and the world in a measurable way.
Media Contact
Todd Bracher, Betterlab, +1 3476734011, [email protected]
SOURCE Betterlab
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