Heidelberg Engineering GmbH

The new research from eye care nonprofit Orbis International, supported by Heidelberg Engineering, shows how telemedicine improves outcomes for children with retinoblastoma through e-learning and virtual mentorship NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Orbis International announces new research that finds telemedicine can improve care for children with retinoblastoma, a form of childhood cancer that can lead to blindness. The study, published in JCO Global Oncology, is the first to show that virtual mentor-mentee relationships through Cybersight, Orbis's free telemedicine and e-learning platform, not only improves lives, but can save them by successfully transferring skills to eye care professionals in low- and middle-income countries. Continue Reading Cybersight, Orbis’s telemedicine and e-learning platform, has delivered more than 30,000 consultations to help eye care professionals diagnose and treat patients with complex cases from all corners of the world, even reaching conflict-affected areas like Ukraine and Syria. Each year, about 9,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with retinoblastoma, but only 40% survive beyond three years. This is because 92 percent of these children live in low-and-middle-income countries, where retinoblastoma patients face late diagnosis and limited access to eye care. This groundbreaking research was supported by Heidelberg Engineering, a global leader in advanced imaging solutions. Their funding has been crucial in delivering e-learning webinars, alongside advancing research through Orbis's Cybersight platform. "Retinoblastoma can be treated if caught early, but too often, it's not diagnosed until it's too late," said Dr. Hunter Cherwek, Vice President of Clinical Services and Technologies at Orbis International. "Many low- and middle-incomes countries don't have enough resources to provide proper care, but technology offers a solution. This study shows that telemedicine can improve health outcomes for children, especially in remote areas where pediatric eye doctors are scarce." Cybersight has long been used to diagnose and treat diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, and other eye diseases, but this is the first research on its impact on retinoblastoma. The groundbreaking study explored whether Cybersight Consult – a component of the Cybersight platform that connects mentee doctors with expert mentors for advice on complex clinical cases – could improve care and treatment for retinoblastoma. Researchers also examined how virtual mentoring helps eye care professionals build expertise in retinoblastoma over time. Researchers conducted a retrospective review of 653 Cybersight retinoblastoma consultations undertaken by 38 different mentees from 2004 to 2023. They found significant improvements in knowledge-sharing over this 20-year period, especially in three areas: understanding and recording patient symptoms, classifying the disease's type and how advanced it is, and the results of treatment for both the patient and their eye health. Cybersight's virtual mentorship approach helped mentees gain critical skills to treat retinoblastoma, especially in regions with few eye care resources. Cybersight provides training, mentoring, and online courses to eye care professionals around the world. The platform has helped train eye care professionals in nearly every country and territory and counts around 15% of the world's ophthalmologists as registered users. The study reveals the potential of using communication and digital technologies to help children around the world see – and survive. About Orbis International Orbis is an international nonprofit delivering sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and territories worldwide so that individuals, families, and communities can thrive. Currently, around 1 billion people across the globe live with completely avoidable blindness and vision loss. For over four decades, Orbis has been tackling this challenge by building strong and sustainable eye care systems that leave a lasting legacy of vision. Orbis runs dedicated in-country programs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America; develops and implements innovative training and technology, including an award-winning telemedicine and e-learning platform, Cybersight; and operates the world's first and only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. For the past 11 consecutive years, Orbis has achieved Charity Navigator's coveted four-star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency, placing Orbis in the top 3% of U.S. charities. For the past three years, Orbis has earned GuideStar's platinum Seal of Transparency. Since 2022, Orbis has earned "accredited charity" status from the Better Business Bureau by meeting all 20 of their standards for charity accountability. To learn more, please visit orbis.org. MEDIA CONTACT Jenna Montgomery Manager, Global Communications and Marketing [email protected] SOURCE Orbis International WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

The transaction will create growth opportunities for Heidelberg Engineering and confirms EssilorLuxottica’s commitment to further elevating industry standards and enhancing patients’ quality care. Paris, France and Heidelberg, Germany (17 July 2024 – 8 am CEST) – EssilorLuxottica and Heidelberg Engineering announced today they entered into an agreement for the acquisition of an 80% stake in Heidelberg Engineering, a Germany-based company specializing in diagnostic solutions, digital surgical technologies and healthcare IT for clinical ophthalmology. Drawing on EssilorLuxottica’s long-standing expertise in the design and manufacture of advanced instruments and vision care solutions for eyecare professionals, this agreement represents a step forward in the Group’s strategy and its med-tech journey. Founded by Dr. Gerhard Zinser and Christoph Schoess in 1990, Heidelberg Engineering brings extensive technological and scientific expertise in optical coherence tomography (OCT), real-time image processing and analytics, large-scale data analysis and digital surgical navigation, to serve medical professionals, scientists and researchers across a broad range of ophthalmic areas. With a presence in over 100 countries, for more than three decades Heidelberg Engineering has been a reference in early detection of sight-threatening conditions such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. As part of EssilorLuxottica, Heidelberg Engineering will continue to serve the market under their well-established brand, delivering the same solutions and expertise their customers have come to expect and trust. “Heidelberg Engineering, renowned for its expertise in early detection and diagnosis, is a perfect fit for EssilorLuxottica as it will bolster our presence in the med-tech space. Heidelberg Engineering, with its commitment to research and development, rooted in excellence, shares our core values. By harnessing the full spectrum of our Group's capabilities in the optical industry, from logistics to manufacturing to global distribution, we are dedicated to fostering their long-term growth while enhancing the doctor and patient experience,” commented Francesco Milleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Paul du Saillant, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at EssilorLuxottica. "Innovation and quality have been key drivers for Heidelberg Engineering ever since Gerhard Zinser and I founded the company 35 years ago,” added Christoph Schoess, co-founder and Managing Director of Heidelberg Engineering. “Our mission has always been to develop products that provide comprehensive, accurate, and clinically relevant information to aid ophthalmologists in achieving better outcomes for their patients. Our future goals include enhancing image quality through higher resolution, expanding the applications of imaging technologies, and integrating AI solutions into the growing HEYEX Healthcare IT platform. We are delighted that EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in eyecare, embraces our vision for creating a shared care system spanning from research to home monitoring. Together, we are strongly positioned to significantly advance patient care and improve clinical outcomes.” The transaction is expected to close in H2 2024 pending regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

3D eye scans can reveal vital clues about kidney health that could help to track the progression of disease, research suggests. The advance could revolutionize monitoring of kidney disease, which often progresses without symptoms in the early stages. Experts say the technology has potential to support early diagnosis as current screening tests cannot detect the condition until half of the kidney function has been lost. 3D eye scans can reveal vital clues about kidney health that could help to track the progression of disease, research suggests. The advance could revolutionise monitoring of kidney disease, which often progresses without symptoms in the early stages. Experts say the technology has potential to support early diagnosis as current screening tests cannot detect the condition until half of the kidney function has been lost. Researchers used highly-magnified images to detect changes to the retina -- the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that senses light and sends signals to the brain. They found that the images offer a quick, non-invasive way to monitor kidney health. The eye is the only part of the body where it is possible to view a key process called microvascular circulation -- and this flow of blood through the body's tiniest vessels is often affected in kidney disease. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh investigated whether 3D images of the retina, taken using a technology called optical coherence tomography (OCT), could be used to identify and accurately predict the progression of kidney disease. OCT scanners -- used in most high street opticians -- use light waves to create a cross-sectional picture of the retina, displaying each individual layer, within a few minutes. The team looked at OCT images from 204 patients at different stages of kidney disease, including transplant patients, alongside 86 healthy volunteers. They found that patients with chronic kidney disease had thinner retinas compared with healthy volunteers. The study also showed that thinning of the retina progressed as kidney function declined. These changes were reversed when kidney function was restored following a successful transplant. Patients with the most severe form of the disease, who received a kidney transplant, experienced rapid thickening of their retinas after surgery. More people than ever are at risk of kidney disease, which is often caused by other conditions that put a strain on the kidneys, including diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. With further research, regular eye checks could one day aid early detection and monitoring to prevent the disease from progressing. It could also allow patients to make lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of health complications, experts say. The technology, supported by Heidelberg Engineering's imaging platform, could also aid the development of new drugs, the research team says. It could do so by measuring changes in the retina that indicate whether -- and in what way -- the kidney responds to potential new treatments. The researchers say further studies -- including longer-term clinical trials in larger groups of patients -- are needed before the technology can be routinely used. An estimated 7.2million people in the UK live with chronic kidney disease -- more than 10% of the population. It costs the NHS around £7billion each year. The study is published in Nature Communications. It was funded by Kidney Research UK, and supported by Edinburgh Innovations, the University's commercialisation service.