Dementia has emerged as a pressing challenge for society, with one million people in the UK expected to be living with the condition by 2025, with numbers estimated to increase rapidly over the next several decades [1].
Dementia Action Week 2023, which takes place from May 15th to the 21st, is an important opportunity for individuals and organizations to come together and take action to improve the lives of those living with dementia.
This year’s Dementia Action Week will focus on increasing awareness of the disease and supporting those affected by it with one of the key themes being the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.
Only a third of people know they can do something to reduce their risk of dementia, by taking care of their brain health. [2]
Early diagnosis can help individuals living with dementia receive appropriate treatment and support, which can improve their quality of life and enable them to live independently for longer. It is also important to ensure that caregivers receive the support they need, as caring for someone with dementia can be a challenging and emotionally demanding experience.
At Occuity we are fully supportive of the aims of Dementia Action Week 2023 and understand the impact dementia can have on lives and the importance of early diagnosis. That is why one of our long-term goals is to develop a screening device which could help to provide an early dementia diagnosis.
One of the characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease is the development of Amyloid plaques in the brain. Put simply, as these build up, they prevent neurons from working properly, leading to breakdowns in memory and cognitive transmission.
Interestingly, Amyloid plaques have also been shown to build up in the lenses of our eyes and it is here that Occuity is researching technology to enable the size and distribution of these plaques to be screened and monitored.
We are already building the technology which will provide the foundations for a future screening device. The first device built on the platform will be the PM1 Pachymeter - a handled device that will make it easier, faster and safer to measure central corneal thickness - an important measurement to support glaucoma diagnosis. Our long-term ambition is to prove that technology and then look to develop it in order to identify the build-up of Amyloid plaques in eyes. This could eventually help to promote the early detection of Alzheimer’s; thereby enabling individuals to receive targeted treatments which may either slow down the progress or enable the management of, their condition.
Join us in increasing awareness of dementia by supporting Dementia Action Week 2023.
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