Peek Retina adapter brings eye exams to smartphones

Peek Retina is a smartphone adapter that aims to bring eye examinations anywhere they’re needed, such as remotely located medical clinics that don’t otherwise have access to the necessary hardware for performing eye assessments. Peek stands for Portable Eye Examination Kit, and as its name suggests the adapter is entirely portable — small enough to fit in a pocket along with the smartphone to which it will be attached, offering both a retina camera functionality and an ophthalmoscope while leveraging the smartphone’s camera.

Peek Retina allows medical workers to snap pictures of patients’ eyes — including the back of the eye — using an ordinary smartphone. The process is shown in the video below using a Samsung Galaxy S3, for example. With this, clinics can diagnose cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye conditions for treatment.

Because the adapter works with a smartphone, the images can be instantly saved and then wirelessly shared with specialists located in other regions. According to the makers, Peek Retina has been tested for two years in Kenya and other regions in both field and clinical trials.

The device is being funded through Indiegogo, where the makers are seeking £70,000 for manufacturing and other costs. Thus far about about a third of that has been raised. A pledge of £60 can be used to donate an adapter to a medical worker or to get one for yourself. Shipping is estimated for October 2015.

SOURCE: Indiegogo