Millions of people are at risk of vision loss from diabetic retinopathy, yet they lack access to specialty eye care. Spect is making this care simple, accessible, and affordable by enabling eye diagnostics at home and through primary care providers.
Challenge
Today, one in three Americans are diabetic or pre-diabetic. Globally, that number stands near a half billion, according to the WHO. In the best-case scenario, when a person is diagnosed with diabetes (typically type II), they’re under the care of a primary care physician. That provider will likely recommend diet, exercise, and medications to manage the disease. They’ll also tell the patient they should get their eyes checked regularly because diabetes often leads to eye damage called diabetic retinopathy, which can cause vision loss and blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy is incredibly common. At some point, nearly one out of three people with diabetes will experience it. The good news is that if it’s caught early it can be managed and vision protected.
The problem is the gap between primary care and specialty eye care. Far too few people with diabetes get the eye exams they need to protect their vision. It’s estimated that about 60% of the people who need an annual eye exam don’t get one. That’s because they have to be conducted by an eye care specialist like an ophthalmologist or optometrist, which means they’re a hassle to schedule and can be expensive. Plus, there is only about one ophthalmologist for every 17,000 Americans. The numbers are much lower elsewhere around the world.