MIT researchers are developing a simple device that can clip onto an ordinary smartphone (or smart device such as an iPod) that can diagnose cataracts within minutes. The standard test for cataracts in an ophthalmologist's office assigns a score on a scale of 1 to 4 — from no cataracts to completely blocked vision. The new system, dubbed Catra, would provide much more detailed information by creating a map showing position, size, shape, and density of cataracts.
The system sweeps a beam of light across the eye to create a map showing position, size, shape, and density of cataracts. The new device may also be able to detect cataracts at an earlier stage than existing tests because it can pick up changes in parts of the lens that have not yet become opaque. The current test depends on light reflected back by the lens as seen by the doctor performing the test, while Catra relies on light passing through the lens as reported by the patient, who reports whether a point of light remains steady, dims, or disappears.
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