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Eye patching—the longstanding, arguably outdated gold standard of amblyopia treatment—is associated with a handful of adverse effects in children, including skin irritation, low self-esteem and noncompliance. In response to the desire for alternative treatments, several companies have developed digital therapeutic devices in recent years that use various types of software to help train patients’ eyes and improve their vision. One company entering this market, NovaSight, recently announced the FDA clearance of its new eye-tracking-based amblyopia treatment device, called CureSight. Developers say the device, designed for at-home use, helps amblyopic eyes learn to work simultaneously while a video of the child’s choice is streamed through the red-blue treatment glasses.

The treatment works by blurring the center of vision of the image shown to the strong eye, encouraging the brain to complete the image’s fine details and consequently training both eyes to work as a team, according to a company press release. Children are required to complete four months of treatment, with a minimum of 18 hours per month. The device’s cloud connection allows for remote monitoring of treatment reports by the patient’s eyecare provider via a web portal, NovaSight notes.

In one of the company-led clinical trials, of the patients who followed up through 16 weeks, 79% in the CureSight group had a BCVA improvement of two lines or more in their amblyopic eye compared with 61% of patients who wore an eye patch. 

The company also says that the treatment can be billed through three CPT codes, perhaps making it accessible to a broader range of patients.

For more information, visit nova-sight.com.