D-EYE Names Wilson Ophthalmic as a US Distributor for the Innovative D-EYE Portable Retinal Imaging System

PADOVA, ITALY and PASADENA, CA--(Marketwired - Mar 16, 2015) - D-EYE, a leading developer of advanced devices for mass health screenings and data analytics, announced today that it has selected Wilson Ophthalmic of Mustang, Okla., as its first United States distributor for the innovative D-EYE Portable Retinal Imaging System. The advanced, affordable retinal examiner is a phone-case-sized add-on that turns an iPhone or Android smartphone into a fundus camera capable of taking high-definition video and still images of the eye for health screening and evaluation.

"Wilson Ophthalmic is one of the top distributors of eye care products and accessories to medical professionals in the United States," said D-EYE CEO Richard Sill. "Their market knowledge, reputation and reach within the ophthalmic and eye care community will benefit us greatly as we bring this revolutionary D-EYE Portable Retinal Imaging System to ophthalmologists, optometrists, hospitals and health clinics across the US."

The naming of Wilson Ophthalmic as the launch distributor for the US follows the company's recent announcement that the D-EYE Portable Retinal Imaging System has been registered with both the European Union CE Authority and the United States Food & Drug Administration.

"The D-EYE product offers amazing potential to increase access to vital retinal screening and eye care services. Because it is completely portable and so simple to use, the screening device can be deployed anywhere to capture images of the retina and allow medical professionals to assess the patient's condition, even remotely," according to Wilson Ophthalmic Director of Operations Scott Heck. "This will lead to earlier diagnosis and intervention for greater numbers of people who face sight-threatening conditions, including the leading causes of blindness: glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. We are excited to be involved in the early stages in bringing the benefits of this technological advance to market."

Honored with the prestigious Premio Applico-Oftalmologia award for excellence in biomedical innovation by the Italian Society of Ophthalmology, the D-EYE was also the subject of an article in the February 2015 issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, which featured a paper by D-EYE inventor and Medical Advisor Andrea Russo, M.D., entitled "Comparison of Smartphone Ophthalmoscopy with Slit-Lamp Biomicroscopy for Grading Diabetic Retinopathy." The study concluded smartphone ophthalmoscopy showed considerable agreement with dilated retinal biomicroscopy for the grading of diabetic retinopathy, making it a promising technique for community screening programs.

The only truly portable ophthalmoscope capable of digitally imaging the fundus of the eye, the low-cost D-EYE device simply attaches to a smartphone (Apple iOS or Android), positioned over the phone's camera lens and LED light source, enabling the phone to capture high-definition video and still images of the interior of the eye. The D-EYE software app installed on the smartphone provides step-by-step instructions and archives all examinations on a patient chart for convenient file management. The HIPAA-compliant D-EYE ImageVault™, a subscription-based cloud platform service available later this year, will enable storing and sharing images among medical professionals, promoting telemedicine applications in remote, underserved locations.

The D-EYE Portable Retinal Imaging System will be on display at the upcoming International Vision Expo & Conference to be held March 20-22 at the Javits Center in New York City. Attendees can see a D-EYE demonstration and receive more information by visiting Wilson Ophthalmic at the HilcoVision Booth #4621.

About Wilson Ophthalmic

Oklahoma-based Wilson Ophthalmic, a member of the HilcoVision group of companies since 1998, specializes in professional eye care supplies and accessories, serving thousands of ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, hospitals and clinics throughout the United States. HilcoVision, founded in 1956, offers more than 20,000 products to a very large and diverse group of customers. The company trades under five primary brands: Hilco® -- professional products; Leader® -- consumer eyewear accessories, sports eyewear, sunwear, and swim products; Quality Accessories -- premium, personalized lens care products; OnGuard® Safety -- industrial safety eyewear; and Wilson Ophthalmic. HilcoVision customers are serviced through company-operated facilities in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and France. For more information, please visit www.wilsonophthalmic.com or, in the US, call toll-free 1-800-222-2020.

About D-EYE

Founded in 2014, with offices in Padova, Italy, Pasadena, CA, and Boston, MA, D-EYE Srl offers a "digital eye" into the state of the human body. We design and manufacture mobile sensing and examination devices, along with companion applications, that enable mass health screenings and data collection to improve access to vital health examination services. We also develop and operate cloud-based Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) systems that enable telehealth applications, and aggregate and analyze health screening data to provide insight into individual conditions as well as trends across patient populations. Our first product, the revolutionary D-EYE Portable Retinal Imaging System, focuses on eye care; subsequent mobile-health products and services will target screening and evaluation of other medical conditions and pathologies. D-EYE was developed by Si14 SpA, a visionary original design and development laboratory for novel technology products that enhance the way we live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.d-eyecare.com or call 01-626-497-9212 (US) or +39 049 7811 860 (Italy).