Iruda Begins Development of On-Site Medical Device for Eye Disease Diagnosis

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] Iruda announced on the 11th that it has begun developing an on-site ophthalmic disease diagnostic medical device capable of examining both the anterior and posterior segments of the eye (terms used to divide the eye front and back based on the back of the lens).

With the global aging population rapidly increasing the prevalence of the four major eye diseases causing blindness (cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration), there is an urgent need to develop portable ophthalmic diagnostic equipment that can improve medical accessibility for vulnerable groups.

Iruda has developed Korea's first non-mydriatic portable fundus camera for diagnosing retinal (posterior segment) diseases, which can be used during on-site home visits. This product, currently distributed to public medical institutions and university hospitals, was recently designated as an ‘Innovative Prototype by the Public Procurement Service,’ securing sales channels through the public procurement market.

The newly initiated All-in-one type ophthalmic disease diagnostic medical device project has also been selected for the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s ‘Pan-Government Full-Cycle Medical Device Research and Development Project.’ Over five years, a total of 2.3 billion KRW in government funding will be provided, with Iruda as the lead institution collaborating with the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) and Dankook University Hospital.

The All-in-one type ophthalmic disease diagnostic medical device will enhance Iruda’s existing optical technology to enable screening and diagnosis of both anterior and posterior segments of the eye, including fundus diseases and cataracts. Additionally, a diagnostic guidance function using artificial intelligence will be developed.

An Iruda official stated, “Until now, diagnosing both anterior and posterior segments required expensive, bulky individual equipment with limited mobility. The new highly portable product developed by Iruda can screen and diagnose both segments with a single device, which we believe greatly enhances usability and market competitiveness.”