Nanjing University & The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Unveil Patent for Real-Time Intraocular Pressure Monitoring System in Vitrectomy

Recently, Nanjing University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University had a new patent published.This patent is for a rapid, real-time optical system for measuring vitrectomy cutter pressure.

The team pioneered real-time monitoring of pressure generated by the vitreous cutter during ophthalmic vitrectomy, enabling surgeons to adjust the cutting rate and vacuum pressure based on real-time readings. This approach ensures efficient completion of the surgery while prioritizing patient safety. Furthermore, this patent integrates the vitreous cutter with a pressure sensor, thereby enhancing the integration level of the medical device.

In terms of pressure monitoring, during the same period, Professor Xu Fei from Nanjing University and Director Yuan Songtao from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University jointlyA Smart Contact Lens for Intraocular Pressure Monitoring with High Robustness to Environmental Dielectric Properties, Ensuring Accurate IOP Measurement for Diverse Populations in Complex Dynamic Environments, ensuring the anti-interference performance of the glasses in real-world scenarios.

Intraocular Pressure Monitoring Devices are specialized instruments designed to measure intraocular pressure (IOP) in the human eye. They come in various types, including contact tonometers, non-contact tonometers, indentation tonometers, and rebound tonometers. These devices play a critical role primarily in two areas: auxiliary diagnosis and intraoperative monitoring. On one hand, they are instrumental in aiding the diagnosis of ophthalmic conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma. On the other hand, during surgical procedures, ophthalmologists utilize these monitors to track real-time changes in patients’ IOP, enabling timely detection and management of any potential abnormalities.

As early screening for cataracts and glaucoma continues to advance, the demand for tonometers is also steadily increasing.. According to statistics, the global tonometer market size reached $339.9 million in 2022. Looking ahead, IMARC Group predicts that the market size will reach $465.8 million by 2028, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.39% during this period.

Attracted by the vast market prospects, an increasing number of companies are expanding their intraocular pressure (IOP) monitor businesses globally, including Finland’s Icare, Switzerland’s Sensimed, Germany’s ImplanData, and Anjieming Medical. Taking Icare’s iCare tonometer as an example, this product utilizes rebound technology to measure patients’ intraocular pressure quickly and reliably.

From the perspective of application scenarios, intraocular pressure monitors are currently used in a variety of settings, including ophthalmic hospitals and optical retail stores. Moreover, as the demand for real-time monitoring continues to rise, their applications are gradually expanding into the home healthcare sector., for example, Germany's Hanover-based Implandata has introduced the EYEMATE system, which enables continuous intraocular pressure monitoring, allowing patients to perform self-monitoring even in the comfort of their own homes.

To meet diverse market demands, industry players are actively pursuing differentiated strategies, driving the evolution of intraocular pressure monitors toward real-time, automated, intelligent, comfortable, and wireless capabilities.For example, Anjieming Medical’s intraocular pressure monitoring system enables 24-hour automatic real-time monitoring of intraocular pressure fluctuations. Currently, the system is in the stage of prototype refinement and pilot production, and the application for registration as a Class III medical device was submitted in the second half of 2023.

The industry’s development requires not only continuous breakthroughs from innovative enterprises, but also the emergence of numerous cutting-edge intraocular pressure monitoring studies from the scientific research community.For example, Professor Pei Weihua’s team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences made a novel attempt at non-invasive intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring by fabricating a wearable contact lens IOP sensor using MEMS technology to process platinum (Pt) strain gauges. In this system, the structure and parameters of the Pt strain gauges were optimized, thereby enhancing both sensitivity and temperature stability.

For another example, Professor Guo Chuanfei of Southern University of Science and Technology collaborated with Professor Yu Cunjiang of Pennsylvania State University to design a hardness sensor based on dual-parameter control of “displacement–pressure,” mimicking the mechanism by which human fingertips perceive stiffness. By integrating deep learning algorithms, they developed a portable tonometer that offers high accuracy, low cost, and comfortable use. With continuous technological advancements and innovation, future tonometers are expected to play an increasingly important role in the treatment of ophthalmic diseases.