the device

Since cataracts are the commonest cause of avoidable blindness the Catatrac device™ was developed to improve the pick up of people who would benefit from treatment.

The device specification and design is the result of collaboration between university and industry expert groups in the UK, France and the Rep. South Africa to create a device with maximal sensitivity and specificity even in the hands of a non ophthalmologist.

The product is most appropriate for 3 groups of patients who would otherwise remain under served by existing services.

The new born

The detection of congenital cataract is important and significant part of the health assessment of the newborn. The Catatrac device™ is in response to the failure of current practice where less than half of all cases of newly diagnosed congenital cataract had been detected at the newborn or 6-week examinations. Click here for info.
S. Rahi and C. Dezateux, National cross sectional study of detection of congenital and infantile cataract in the United Kingdom: role of childhood screening and surveillance. Br Med J 318 (1999), pp. 362–365

60% of bilateral congenital cataracts may also be the first sign of an underlying metabolic and systemic diseases requiring further investigation.

The incidence in the UK is about 3 per 10,000 live births so is rare, but if missed the result is devastating for the entire life of the patient. Click here for more info.

Tell me more about the Catatrac neonatal trial

The elderly

Our studies have shown that the Catatrac device™ in the hands of a nursing home manager with 30mins training is as virtually as effective as an ophthalmoscope in hands of a consultant ophthalmologist at detecting cataracts in the elderly.

Sometimes. visual impairment is accepted by the elderly and their families as inevitable part of ageing, though if due to a cataract could be treated effectively. Cataracts are particularly common in the elderly and once detected the cataract can be corrected by a simple surgical procedure, quality of life is improved and less nursing care for basic tasks is required.

The Catatrac Nursing Homes Trial found that for every person in the nursing home with a cataract that was known to the ophthalmic services there was another elderly person who would also have benefited from referral.

Tell me more about the use of Catatrac to improve the quality of life of the elderly

The developing world

The need for cataract correction in the developing world is almost over whelming and met largely by NGOs funded by charititable contributions. The impetus for the development of the catatrac device was free up the time available for treatment by allowing local healthcare workers to perform first line screening instead of highly trained ophthalmic surgeons.

In this way visually impaired patients without cataracts could be directed to a more appropriate service and people at risk of cataract can be screened and if a lens opacity is present can be directed to treatment before their evolving visual impairment results in loss of livelihood or their and ability to look after themself and their families .

I would like to donate Catatrac devices to the developing world through Catatrac Ltd’s not for profit scheme.

The device has been optimised for cataract assessment using advanced analyses, by:

Institute of Photonics, University of Strathclyde

Profils, Marseilles, France

Ngena Design Space, Gauteng, RSA Expert technical review group.