Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness around the world, impacting tens of millions of people globally. More than 300,000 Australians have glaucoma, but only half of these people know that they have it.
Early detection is crucial, but current methods involve expensive equipment and requires specialised staff in clinical settings. Melbourne-based Glance Optical is pioneering a new way for anyone to perform a reliable glaucoma test anytime, anywhere, using just a standard web browser and not requiring trained staff.
Glance Optical provides a clinically validated online visual field test that has been found to be as accurate as hospital-based diagnoses, using AI-driven gaze tracking and smart algorithms.
“Traditional visual field machines are large, expensive and restricted to hospital and clinical settings, limiting patient access,” Glance Optical director associate professor George Kong said.
“Our technology allows patients to complete clinically validated visual field and visual acuity tests anywhere, whether in clinics, community settings or at home, using just a standard computer or tablet.
Glance Optical is a finalist in the InnovationAus 2025 Awards for Excellence in the Health Tech category. The InnovationAus 2025 Awards for Excellence winners and finalists will be celebrated at a black-tie gala dinner at Sydney Town Hall on Thursday, November 27. You can secure your seat here
The Health Tech Award honours companies that are tackling global health challenges through new platforms, medical devices, diagnostics, therapeutics and biotech innovations.
Glance’s tool is now used by more than 300 clinics and hospitals around the world, including a major collaboration with Moorfields Eye Hospital London.
The core research behind the innovation was conducted at the University of Melbourne and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
Visual field tests can monitor the progression of glaucoma, helping to adjust treatment plans and make informed decisions about ongoing care.
“It’s a tremendous honour and recognition of the innovation, persistence and impact behind our work,” Professor Kong said.
“This nomination highlights not only the science and technology developed here in Australia, but also the real-world benefit for patients facing sight-threatening conditions like glaucoma.
“For our team, being a finalist validates years of research, development and clinical validations, and shines a spotlight on the importance of accessible digital health tools in tackling major public health challenges.
“It also strengthens our ability to engage with our partners, investors and the wider community as we scale globally.
The 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence will be held on November 27 at the magnificent Sydney Town Hall. You can secure individual seats or book a table here. Purchase a table of 10 and have your logo displayed on screens across the venue and in the event programme as a ‘Table Sponsor’.
The InnovationAus 2025 Awards for Excellence are proudly supported by ACS, PEXA Group, the CSIRO ON Program, Griffith Hack, TechnologyOne, Q-CTRL, National AI Centre, University of New South Wales, Investment NSW and IP Australia.
Protecting your great ideas with intellectual property (IP) rights can lead to lasting benefits for your growing business. IP refers to creations of the mind, such as a brand, logo, invention, design or artistic work. Head to the IP Australia website to find out more about IP, and how it might help your business.
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