Dry Eye to AI

Based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, Spectrum Ophthalmics launched as an independent ophthalmic provider in 1987. (Sidenote: In 2015, the company became a member of Vision Ophthalmology Group – or VOG – a pan-European network of ophthalmic distributors. In 2021, VOG was acquired by AddLife, a Swedish healthcare company, which in 2022 became AddVision – now the largest independent supplier of ophthalmic products in Europe…)

This year, Spectrum moved into the dry eye disease (DED) market in the UK with two new products – one for treatment and the other for diagnosis. We spoke with David Killengray, Spectrum’s Managing Director, about the company’s activities in this key area – and its plans for the future.

Can you tell us about Spectrum’s move into dry eye disease?

Dry eye disease is an area of significant concern as it affects people of all ages. Around 85 percent of the population suffer from some form of dry eye. In fact, it’s one of the most common conditions optometrists see in their clinics. It has a significant impact on patient quality of life, with symptoms that can include foreign body sensation, pain, blurred vision, dryness, or watery eyes.

Our new OptiClear IPL uses light energy to unblock meibomian glands, relieving debilitating symptoms in just four treatments. Many patients can benefit from pre-surgical treatments for dry eye – and we’re seeing a growing number of optometrists starting to offer this technology. Spectrum is on course to roll out the OptiClear IPL nationally, but one of our first clients is Newbury optometrist Valarie Jerome, who told us how pleased she is to now offer a “pain-free, effective long-term treatment for my dry eye patients.”

We’ve also launched the 3nethra classic HD fundus camera for the diagnosis of DED. It captures high-resolution, undistorted images of the retina and surfaces such as the cornea to assist clinicians with accurate DED diagnosis.

What does being part of AddVision bring to Spectrum?

AddVision is a pan-European network – with offices in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden, and the UK – and being part of that means we can offer clinics and surgeons speedy access to a wider offering. For suppliers and strategic partners who meet our quality standards, this network provides access to the European market and beyond. Locally, we have many years of industry experience and within the AddVision group we have a specialist function to find and help bring to market new technologies from suppliers around the world.

What does the future hold?

This year, we’re aiming to increase annual turnover by more than 15 percent, adding more products and expanding the sales team. We plan to increase our product range to complement key areas like DED and further explore the area of AI in ophthalmic diagnosis in a range of conditions. To this end, we have several exciting technologies already in review. One product has the potential to increase the efficiency of diagnosis for optometrists and ophthalmologists through a cloud-based approach.