Delta-Redesigning eye patches to reduce stigma

Eye patches and people who wear them suffer from heavy stigma and consequently, eye patches are seldom seen in society, even though up to 540 million people (Tegegne, 2021 & Fu Z 2019) globally are medically advised to wear them. This figure surpasses the number of individuals affected by diabetes, which affects 422 million people worldwide (World Health Organization, 2020).

Diabetes research and management attracts tens of £M's in funding each year, and by comparison, this simple, low-tech, low-cost solution for eye patches could be equally transformative for many. This figure also only accounts for the two most common eye conditions that require patching; strabismus and amblyopia, if broader data were available it would likely show the problem is even larger.

Most people often only associate eye patches with lazy eyes (Amblyopia) in children, however, their usage is often recommended across a broad spectrum of conditions.

The solution is called **Delta**. This project will develop a wearable to support people suffering from eye symptoms and conditions. This extremely ambitious idea will positively impact eye health, whilst also supporting three creative SMEs based on the South Coast and a UK manufacturing partner.