UCL and Siloton Adapt Quantum-Enabled Eye Imaging for Children

Insider Brief

• UCL researchers are partnering with Bristol-based Siloton to adapt its quantum-enabled OCT eye-imaging system for use by children with potentially sight-threatening conditions.
• The NIHR-funded project will modify Siloton’s compact Akepa device for paediatric use, including adjustments to its lenses and physical design.
• The project aims to support eye monitoring in community or home settings, potentially reducing hospital visits while enabling clinicians to assess children remotely.

PRESS RELEASE — Researchers at the University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health are teaming up with Bristol-based start-up Siloton on a project that could help prevent sight loss in children by adapting a groundbreaking new eye imaging technology.

With funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health has secured one of Siloton’s pioneering optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems, which will be modified for use by children.

OCT is a safe imaging method that uses light to create detailed pictures of the inside of the eye, helping clinicians identify a range of health conditions and monitor their progress. However, its use is limited because existing systems are large, expensive, and typically only available in hospitals and optometry centres.