Stay up to date on global efforts to eradicate corneal blindness in low- and middle-income countries! The Cornea Chronicle is KLI’s monthly newsletter on the global effort to eradicate corneal blindness. Each issue summarizes the progress of our initiatives, share perspectives from our leadership team, and/or introduce new efforts aligned with our PEN strategy to: Prevent corneal damage and infections, enable Early diagnosis and treatment, and bring Novel therapies to market to help achieve our focused mission of eradicating corneal blindness. We will also highlight the work of our partners, and others working to preserve the right to sight.
We are on an exciting journey to drive a “see” change for millions of people to protect their right to sight – if you haven’t already done us, sign up and receive the Cornea Chronicle via email today!
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Latest Issue: December, 2023
Volume 1 • Issue 3
December 2023
Volume 1 • Issue 3
December 2023
This month, KeraLink International (KLI) proudly launched the Great Cornea Challenge and our new Cornea Technology Accelerator, which aim to combat corneal blindness in low- and middle-income countries.
Through the Great Cornea Challenge, innovators and entrepreneurs are invited to propose new solutions for preventing, detecting, and treating corneal blindness. Selected participants could receive up to $100,000 to fuel their work. In addition, selected participants will gain support from the Cornea Technology Accelerator. The Accelerator offers extensive business and technical support from KLI and its extensive network of industry partners. Entrepreneurs invited to participate in the Accelerator also will benefit from KLI’s new partnership with Ultralight Labs. Through this partnership, KLI’s Accelerator will offer advanced software designed to assist innovators who are developing medical devices with managing their documentation and compliance requirements.
The Challenge and the Accelerator initiatives align with KLI’s commitment to affordable and sustainable eye care solutions and our strategic PEN approach (Prevention, Early detection, Novel therapies) to eradicating corneal blindness. These exciting new initiatives are supported by KLI’s generous donors, investors, and philanthropies. Our work can bring life-changing innovations to more than 12.7 million individuals who suffer from corneal blindness globally, as well as the millions more who are at risk on a daily basis of losing their eyesight due to corneal injury or infection.
Learn more Become Part of the “See” Change Today
Corneal blindness is preventable, treatable, and reversible. With your help, we can eradicate corneal blindness.
Eradicating corneal blindness globally will take time, but it can be done.
Your generous donation can accelerate this journey. The faster and more affordably we can develop and bring new technologies and solutions to market, the quicker we will ensure millions of children and adults the right to sight.
KeraLink International
P.O. Box 22575, Baltimore,
MD 21203
1 (800) 608-1193
If you want to unsubscribe to these emails. please click here info@keralink.org
November 2023 issue
Volume 1 • Issue 2
November 2023
Volume 1 • Issue 2
November 2023
Corneal conditions that deny millions in low- and middle-income countries their right to sight are preventable, treatable, and often reversible. With your help, KeraLink International will eradicate corneal blindness everywhere.
Compassionate Capitalism: The Path Forward
Through collaboration, active engagement, and innovative funding approaches, KeraLink International (KLI) is developing a core business strategy: compassionate capitalism combines the efficiency and scalability of capital markets with philanthropy’s altruism and long-term vision. This is a new ecosystem designed to support sustainable interventions for corneal blindness, which currently denies 12.7 million people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) their right to sight and threatens the sight of many millions more. KLI’s visionary approach will bridge the chasm between profitability and social good. Our work in combating corneal blindness is just the beginning.
KLI Invest $2.5 Million in Bioengineered Implants
KLI established and provides seed funding to Pantheon Vision, an early-stage ophthalmic medical device company. KLI established Pantheon to pioneer bioengineered implants that will offer sustainable, affordable pathways to corneal health in LMICs. Such alternatives are critical because current treatments for corneal injury and blindness rely on human tissue transplants which are out of reach in LMICs due to the lack of necessary infrastructure, resources, and expertise for such complex procedures. KLI is committed to innovative solutions for the 12.7 million affected by corneal blindness globally – the majority of whom live in LMICs.
KeraLink International Participates in AAO 2023
KLI team members participated in AAO 2023, the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) which took place in San Francisco in November. AAO 2023 was one of the world’s largest ophthalmic meetings attended by 17,000 professionals from around the globe. The event was a terrific learning and networking opportunity for KLI team members, who were also on hand to honor our board member, Roberto Pineda II, M.D., as he won the prestigious 2023 José I. Barraquer Lecture and Award for his career contributions in the field of refractive surgery, and for his character and scientific dedication. Congratulations Dr. Pineda!!
Eradicating Corneal Blindness Globally
KeraLink International (KLI), a leader in corneal health, is pursuing three pivotal initiatives to eliminate corneal blindness in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These strategies encompass a novel corneal tissue substitute, a comprehensive global plan for the prevention and treatment of corneal ailments, and an international joint venture to address infectious keratitis, the primary cause of corneal blindness. KLI is focused on strategies that deliver preventive measures, early diagnosis, and novel treatments for the 12.7 million people impacted by corneal blindness globally, and particularly in LMICs.
Become Part of the “See” Change Today
Corneal blindness is preventable, treatable, and reversible. With your help, we can eradicate corneal blindness.
Eradicating corneal blindness globally will take time, but it can be done.
Your generous donation can accelerate this journey. The faster and more affordably we can develop and bring new technologies and solutions to market, the quicker we will ensure millions of children and adults the right to sight.
KeraLink International
P.O. Box 22575, Baltimore,
MD 21203
1 (800) 608-1193
If you want to unsubscribe to these emails. please click here info@keralink.org
October, 2023 issue
Volume 1 • Issue 1
October 2023
Volume 1 • Issue 1October 2023
Corneal conditions that deny millions in low- and middle-income countries their right to sight are preventable, treatable, and often reversible. With your help, KeraLink International will eradicate corneal blindness everywhere.
Driving a “See” Change
KeraLink International (KLI) is the only organization in the world solely committed to eradicating corneal blindness in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). We are uniting healthcare providers, technology innovators, philanthropists, and investors into a collaborative three-pronged strategy we call the PEN approach: Preventing injuries and infections that lead to corneal blindness; Early detection and treatment to stop vision loss from advancing; and Novel therapies – including investment in alternatives to tissue transplantation – to preserve and restore sight naturally, affordably, and sustainably.
Learn more AI's Next Frontier: Keratitis Detection
Ophthalmology has championed artificial intelligence (AI) for detecting retinal diseases and glaucoma, but the use of AI technology to detect and predict corneal disease has lagged. KLI is bridging this gap, collaborating globally to curate a keratitis image library that can fuel an AI diagnostic app on a portable device. This project aims to empower non-clinicians in LMICs to screen and rapidly refer potential cases, assuring timely treatment. The image database is crucial to preventing and treating corneal conditions that may lead to blindness.
Read the full story here Addressing Preventable Blindness
Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) is a highly contagious viral conjunctivitis that can lead to severe ocular complications, including corneal opacities that can obstruct vision and, in extreme cases, lead to blindness. A wave of this infection has engulfed India. KeraLink International seeks to develop new products and programs to address treatable corneal conditions like EKC in LMICs. Effective strategies to prevent, control, and treat EKC directly contribute to reducing the incidence and prevalence of corneal blindness.
Learn more KeraLink and Shroff’s: Partnering for Corneal Health
KLI has established a partnership with Shroff’s Charitable Eye Hospital (SCEH) in New Delhi, India. SCEH is a globally renowned eye care organization and a cornerstone of eye health in India. Both SCEH and KLI bring to the table decades of expertise, resources, and established networks as their foundation. Together, we aim to revolutionize corneal services with a focus on enhancing early detection, leveraging innovative technologies, amplifying teleophthalmology, and expanding training initiatives for ophthalmologists.
Learn more World Sight Day 2023: Thursday, October 12
KLI proudly encourages people everywhere to prioritize their eye health and pledge to #LoveYourEyes this year for World Sight Day. Sponsored by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IABP), World Sight Day 2023 focuses on eye health in the workplace where – especially in LMICs – injuries that lead to corneal blindness often occur.
Learn more If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to the Cornea Chronicle to receive it each month via email!
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KeraLInk International P.O. Box 22575, Baltimore, MD 21203 1 (800) 608-1193 info@keralink.org
