From Eye-Protection Devices to AI-Powered Myopia Control System, 'OuOu' Secures RMB 15 Million in A++ Funding
OO Eye Instrument
Myopia Rehabilitation Device and Product R&D Manufacturer
36Kr has learned that “OO”Its parent company, Beijing Xingchen Wanyou Science&Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “OO”), secured RMB 15 million in Series A++ financing in the first half of this year (along with an additional RMB 30 million in debt financing). The investors were New World Consortium and Jilin City Huaruixin Jilin Industry Investment Fund Partnership (L.P.). The funds from this round will be primarily used for talent acquisition, research and development investment, and market expansion.
Regarding “OO,” 36Kr has featured it multiple times. It is a smart healthcare product development company specializing in myopia prevention and control. In 2017, it launched an intelligent hardware device for vision care that integrates VR technology and AI algorithms. Building on years of technological and data accumulation,“OO” has now established a complete intelligent myopia prevention and control system spanning “detection–monitoring–prevention and treatment,” which includes an early-stage visual acuity data collection system, real-time detection and analysis of visual acuity dynamics, and a comprehensive vision prevention and control exercise regimen.
OO Eye Instrument
On the technical front, according toSu Zhenyu, CEO of OO, introduced that the company primarily collaborates with experts from Tongren Hospital to refine its algorithm—the Random Forest algorithm—based on their professional medical theories. By analyzing 33 indicators across multiple dimensions, including lifestyle habits, diet, visual environment, physical constitution, and genetics, the system predicts myopia risk in users (primarily primary and secondary school students) and provides corresponding intervention plans. These plans include adjustments to daily living and dietary habits, as well as therapeutic support using the OO Eye Instrument.
Su Zhenyu revealed that earlier this year, the aforementioned myopia prevention and control system officially achieved commercial implementation with government support. It has been deployed in over 100 schools, including renowned institutions such as Huanggang High School in Hubei Province, Hengshui High School in Hebei Province, and Beijing Bayi School. The system boasts a monthly growth rate of 50%, has accumulated data from more than 100,000 users, achieves a prediction accuracy exceeding 90%, and offers detection efficiency 3–4 times faster than manual methods.
Eye-Protective Classroom Deployed with OO Intelligent Myopia Prevention and Control System (Sample Image)
Behind the rapid business growth lies the severe situation of myopia prevention and control in China. Data shows that,In 2018, the overall myopia rate among children and adolescents in China was 53.6%; andThe Trend of Early-Onset Myopia Is Significant, with Myopia Problems Being Particularly Prominent in Younger Age Groups—Myopia Rates Among Primary School Students Have Doubled in 10 Years, Making the Task of Prevention and Control Arduous.
In August 2018, President Xi Jinping issued important instructions on the issue of myopia among students, calling for society-wide action to strengthen prevention and control efforts. Subsequently, eight departments, including the Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission, jointly issued the Implementation Plan for Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Myopia in Children and Adolescents. The plan mandates regular vision monitoring for students, strengthens vision health management, and establishes detailed prevention and control targets. It is reported that all provinces have completed signing responsibility letters for myopia prevention and control work, with assessment pressure being transmitted down through each administrative level.In short,The Myopia Prevention and Control Market Receives Strong Policy “Support”Assist”。
The market landscape in the field of myopia prevention and control needs no further elaboration. It can be succinctly summarized by the following key factors: myopia prevention and control is an inelastic demand; the population with myopia is enormous (exceeding 100 million); there is a severe shortage of ophthalmologists (resulting in relatively high labor costs); and there is a lack of a comprehensive prevention and control system.Su Zhenyu stated that in the field of ophthalmology, academia and industry have largely focused on vision correction or treatment—primarily through eyeglasses or surgery—with less attention paid to prevention and control. Under the impetus of significant favorable policies, this niche sector is poised to produce leading listed companies; however, it must first address the existing pain points in myopia prevention and control:
Myopia prevention and control should begin with monitoring declining visual acuity. Once visual acuity drops to the 5.0 level, it indicates the onset of vision deterioration, necessitating immediate preventive measures. At this stage, the condition is still pseudomyopia and potentially reversible; however, public awareness remains insufficient, highlighting the need for enhanced education. Nevertheless, the top-down implementation of relevant policies is expected to partially address this issue.
Vision screening should be conducted for children every 1–2 months to provide early warnings and treatment recommendations for those with visual acuity at or below 5.0; however, schools across China still rely on outdated manual procedures, which preclude automated and high-efficiency screening.
Statistical data and data analysis for vision records are also manually entered, lacking an advanced analytical system. This prevents efficient internet-based information connectivity with parents and users, thereby making it impossible to provide reminders and early warnings, or to monitor trends in vision changes and issue alerts regarding potential future severity.
To this end, the “OO” intelligent myopia prevention and control system provides targeted solutions, as detailed below：
Supervision: Establish supervision and management platforms for parents, schools, and education authorities. The system automatically provides intelligent early warnings on implementation effectiveness and reports to relevant administrators without manual intervention, ensuring compliance and effective implementation.
Monitoring: Using a self-service intelligent visual acuity testing instrument—children can operate it independently to rapidly measure binocular visual acuity and automatically upload the data to the cloud. The system establishes individual visual health records by integrating personal information in the backend. Measurements are taken at regular intervals (weekly, monthly, semi-annually, or annually) to generate personalized visual acuity trend curves. By incorporating refractive error and axial length data, the system provides timely alerts for abnormal changes in vision and offers individualized guidance and recommendations.
Prediction and Assessment:By leveraging machine learning, AI-driven intelligent algorithms, and health technology assessment methodologies, and integrating them with a large-scale database of students’ visual acuity, we establish predictive models for the onset and progression of myopia in children and adolescents, thereby enabling early diagnosis and early intervention.
Rehabilitation Training: i.e., by utilizing the “OO Eye Instrument”Vision Training. It is reported that 20 minutes of training is equivalent to the effects of prolonged distance viewing or outdoor activities, addressing issues such as insufficient outdoor exercise among students or the lack of suitable environments for distance viewing.
Regarding commercialization, Su Zhenyu stated that "OO" has adopted a top-down promotion strategy, entering schools through government-led donations or centralized procurement. It is reported that revenue from the aforementioned myopia prevention and control system currently accounts for 20% of the company's total operating income. However, given its strong characteristics as a public welfare initiative and livelihood project, "OO" will not make it the focal point of its commercialization efforts. Instead, the company will primarily focus on the sales of the "OO Eye Instrument," with this prevention and control system serving as an important entry point for terminal devices in the future.
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