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On the show floor at 100% Optical: technology and dry eye

In the run-up to the April show, OT  canvassed exhibitors to find out about their plans. Heidelberg Engineering and The Body Doctor share what they will be showcasing

3 min read
100% Optical exhibitor
Kimberley Young

Kimberley Young

03 March 2022

The exhibition hall at 100% Optical 2022 is set to be full of product launches, announcements, new research, and countless opportunities for networking.

In preparation for the three-day show, OT spoke to exhibitors about their plans for the exhibition and what they expect to see in their sectors. The full series, including speaker Q&As, can be found here.

Equipment: Heidelberg Engineering

SPECTRALIS HRA OCT Camera head
Heidelberg Engineering
Heidelberg engineering is launching a new technology that will enhance its Spectralis imaging platform

Heidelberg Engineering plans to showcase its new Shift technology, launched earlier this year. Head of UK marketing and education, Emily Malbon, told OT: “The new technology will enhance the Spectralis imaging platform, and it will improve the speed of image acquisition, the quality of the OCT images, reduce image artefacts, offer more ways to visualise and assess the diagnostic data, and offer solutions for imaging traditionally very challenging eyes.”

The technology is set to enable the clinician to customise image acquisition parameters to the needs of the patient, Malbon said, “striking the perfect balance between speed of image acquisition and diagnostic image quality.” It will also have full backward compatibility of existing patient data and functions for continuity of data and long-term follow-up.

In addition to its activity in product launches, Heidelberg Engineering will be delivering two sessions at the show.

Held in the Optical Academy on Saturday at 10:45, How to become an OCT expert will provide guidance from an OCT expert on how to systematically evaluate OCT images for signs of eye disease, and advice on “what it takes to become an OCT expert.”

Taking to the Main Stage on Sunday at 3:45, OCT interpretation uncovered – glaucoma and beyond will establish what a typical glaucomatous eye looks like with OCT, and how the patterns of disease might change as it progresses through the different stages of disease. The importance of anatomical or pathological variances, which might cause a misinterpretation of OCT scans, will also be discussed.

Key trends in optical equipment for the year ahead

Malbon: “OCT technology is still changing rapidly. I would expect to continue to see improvements in the a-scan rate and image quality. We are seeing an increasing demand for face-to-face training and demonstrations as clinicians begin to tire of the virtual environment, so I expect us to be busy next year visiting customers in their practice and adopting a hybrid approach to education.”

Dry eye: The Body Doctor

Eye Doctor Antibacterial Stye Relief Compress
The Body Doctor Antibacterial Stye Relief Compress will be highlighted on the stand
The Body Doctor, behind The Eye Doctor range of compresses, eye drops and lid wipes, will be highlighting its patented technology and new products, including sampling The Eye Doctor Dry Eye Support Supplements.

Taking centre stage will be The Eye Doctor Antibacterial Stye Relief Compress, as well as the Eye Doctor Tea Tree Lid Wipes, which are now biodegradable. 

Sue Grant, managing director of The Body Doctor, shared that the company’s stand will have an emphasis “on our carefully developed three-step eye care regime: heat, cleanse and revive. That is: heat the eyelids using The Eye Doctor Premium Compress to open up blocked eyelid glands and relieve tension, cleanse away any secretions with our cooling, sterile eyelid wipes, and revive the eyes with our moisturising, preservative-free eye drops.”

On the stand, The Body Doctor will be demonstrating its personalisation service. Visitors will also have an opportunity to meet Dr Hilary Jones, who will be discussing the patented Sterileyes technology, which the company says is antimicrobial to the leading three causative microorganisms of eye infections and those associated with dry eye development.

The company will also be inviting 100% Optical attendees to join in a celebration of its 10th anniversary with a drink from the bar on the stand.

Understanding MGD

Grant: “We expect to see a greater awareness of the potential damage being caused by bacteria on the eyes; microorganisms associated with dry eye disease that trigger tear film instability. There is research showing that reducing the bacterial load in subjects with anterior blepharitis or meibomian gland disease (MGD) significantly improves the clinical picture of the eyelid margin tissues, including the meibomian glands.

“In the article, Dry eye management: targeting the ocular surface microenvironment, Zhang et al show that, in conditions such as dry eye disease, there is an increase in the number of bacteria. Compounding the risks of eye infections from this altered ocular microbiome is a reduction in ocular autoimmunity and decrease in Immunoglobulin A production which promotes the entry of pathogens to the ocular surface. They conclude that this contributes to the disease process. 

“In many cases, the safety of home heat treatment of MGD has not been understood as well as it is now. This will receive wider attention by the eye care profession in the next 12 months.”

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