Smartlens, a company focused on improving glaucoma management, has announced a successful $6.1 million Series A financing round. The funding, led by Ambit Health Ventures and joined by Stanford University, Graphene Ventures, Sophia Innovation Capital, Plaisance Capital Management, 3E Bioventures, Boutique Venture Partners, and Wilson Sonsini Investments, will be used to advance regulatory clearance for Smartlens’ flagship product, miLens.
Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease that damages the optic nerve and affects over 76 million people worldwide. Shockingly, more than 50% of those with glaucoma are undiagnosed, and this number is expected to rise to 111.8 million by 2040, according to the World Health Organization.
One of the critical factors in managing glaucoma is monitoring diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP), as elevated eye pressure is the primary risk factor for the disease. However, current methods only allow IOP to be measured a few times a year by an ophthalmologist, which does not provide a comprehensive understanding of the patient’s condition.
Smartlens aims to address this issue with miLens, a smart contact lens that can continuously measure IOP. Similar to a daily contact lens, miLens offers glaucoma patients the ability to monitor their eye pressure throughout the day, providing valuable insights for proactive clinical decisions.
In addition to miLens, Smartlens owns a range of clinical stage technologies designed to enhance glaucoma management. One such technology is THERmic, which utilizes microdose personalized treatments based on the patient’s diurnal IOP. THERmic can be used in conjunction with various Glaucoma medications.
The new funding will help Smartlens advance regulatory clearance for miLens, bringing them one step closer to transforming glaucoma care. Savas Komban, CEO of Smartlens, expressed gratitude for the support from their partners and emphasized the importance of understanding the true nature of the disease throughout the day. By enabling proactive and well-informed clinical decisions, Smartlens aims to prevent irreversible blindness for millions of glaucoma patients worldwide.