Peek founder becomes TED Fellow

Dr Andrew Bastawrous, a current Fight for Sight/MRC Clinical Research Training Fellow, has been made a TED Fellow for 2014.

TED Fellows are chosen each year for their ground-breaking accomplishments - particularly demonstrated in the developing world.

Fight for Sight supporters will remember Dr Bastawrous as being integral to the team of ophthalmologists, developers and engineers who created a mobile app and clip-on hardware that transforms a low-cost android smartphone into an eye examination and diagnostic suite, capable of running a range of tests, including visualisation of the back of the eye. This is known as Peek (the portable eye examination kit). It is easy to use, affordable and portable.

A non-expert with minimal training can use Peek to gather detailed clinical information. It can diagnose cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, other retinal and optic nerve conditionsand crucial indicators of brain tumour and haemorrhage. The system stores contact information and GPS data for each patient. Google-map integration provides a novel way to follow-up and treat patients. Here's Dr Bastawrous talking about Peek:

Peek is currently being tested on a cohort of 5,000 people in Kenya. The results of the study are expected early this year (2014).

Peek is also being tested in Antarctica, where an expedition team originally led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes are assessing whether their eyes and vision change with prolonged exposure to cold and darkness. As the conditions are considered a surrogate to life in space, the data will provide valuable information for space programmes.

TED is a not-for-profit organisation devoted to’ Ideas Worth Spreading’. It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: technology, entertainment, and design.