Arclight Project, based at the University of St Andrews is new member of IAPB

The Arclight Project is pleased to be a new member of IAPB as our mission to make eye and ear health diagnostics accessible to all, especially in low to medium income countries (LMICs) aligns so well with that of IAPB.

We’re a social enterprise based at the School of Medicine for the University of St Andrews: our devices are extremely cost-effective in all countries but particularly in low-income countries where we use any profit from high-income country sales to subsidise distribution and training

Low-cost, portable diagnostic devices

Our journey began with a simple but powerful idea: to develop a low-cost, portable, and solar-powered diagnostic device. Named the “Arclight”, this tool is designed to empower healthcare workers, students and specialists to conduct eye and ear examinations with ease, anywhere in the world.

The first version of the Arclight was developed by our optometrist / engineer William J Williams with funding from the Fred Hollows Foundation. William and our lead ophthalmologist Dr Andrew Blaikie have worked together since to further develop diagnostic devices and the training to go with them.

As the Arclight is so compact, simple-to-use and solar-powered it is ideal for community-based eye health screening

Included in WHO guidelines for eye health screening

Our efforts have grabbed the attention of healthcare professionals globally – and led to the inclusion of the Arclight in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for newborn eye screening. This recognition underscores the effectiveness and potential of the device in contributing to the global fight against blindness and ear diseases.

Arclight is included in the WHO guidelines for universal newborn screening for abnormalities of the eye

Soon to launch Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscope (BIO)

We are also on the brink of launching an equally straightforward and cost effective Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscope (BIO), in the summer of 2024. The BIO offers a wider and stereo view of the back of the eye and is ideal for diagnosis and management of conditions like diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment and retinopathy of prematurity.

The Arclight Project’s link with the IAPB shows our shared vision of a world where no one is needlessly blind or visually impaired. We’re looking forward to working with IAPB and other members to deliver effective, affordable, and sustainable eye and ear health solutions.