Visionary inventions for eye disease

Award-winning technology promises earlier diagnosis of macular degeneration and more independence for people with visual impairments 

By Karen Kawawada

School of Optometry & Vision Science

Navigating the world safely can be a major challenge for people with vision impairments. One award-winning new invention aims to change that, while another aims to diagnose a common eye disease earlier, potentially preventing vision loss in the first place. 

The Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), a Hong Kong-based collaboration between the University of Waterloo and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, recently won gold medals for both the inventions it entered in the Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong. 

“It’s encouraging for our teams to be recognized in this way and an indication of the maturity of these inventions,” said Dr. Ben Thompson, a professor at Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science and CEO and scientific director of CEVR. “This recognition will help accelerate the transition of these projects from research to commercial success.” 

Read the full article from Waterloo News to learn more.