Freedom Meditech promises glucose-monitoring eye scanner

There's certainly no shortage of efforts out there to make glucose monitoring a bit easier for diabetics, but Freedom Meditech is now claiming to have developed one of the least invasive to date and, what's more, it says it's actually gearing up to start some clinical trials. That latter bit is apparently possible thanks to a newly formed partnership with Batelle, which is helping to raise the necessary capital, while the former bit got a boost from an arrangement with the University of Toledo, whose technology it is licensing. The key bit, it seems, is that Freedom Meditech's method involves scanning only the front portion of the eye (or, more specifically, the Aqueous humor where the glucose resides) instead of shining a light on the retina, which some similar methods use. That apparently not only delivers results faster, but reduces the risk of any potential long-term safety hazards from repeated laser exposure, which would also make it better suited as a tool for early screening of diabetes.

[SikBug @ Jun 19th 2008 3:10PM]

Please please please please please please let this work.....

[From my Cube @ Jun 19th 2008 3:11PM]

*this product not tested on individuals with herpes of the eye

[stillen @ Jun 19th 2008 3:26PM]

apparently, not apparnetly....

[kjb434 @ Jun 19th 2008 3:29PM]

I have friends who are diabetic and innovations like these are like miracles.

[John @ Jun 19th 2008 3:33PM]

Well, it's better than an eye-monitoring glucose scanner.

[Balls @ Jun 19th 2008 3:34PM]

How many of them will come with black-shoe polish on the eyepiece?

[paulo @ Jun 19th 2008 3:41PM]

Happy fingers!

[aa @ Jun 19th 2008 3:52PM]

It would be cool if they could incorporate that technology into eyeglasses.

[GZamboni @ Jun 19th 2008 3:53PM]

This is nothing new here in Brazil.
In 2002 researchers from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, developed the entire system that performs the measurement of glucose through the eyes.
Further information:
http://www.tede.ufsc.br/teses/PMCI0029.pdf

[Zak @ Jun 19th 2008 4:48PM]

If you had read the article, you would have seen this:

"Freedom Meditech's method involves scanning only the front portion of the eye (or, more specifically, the Aqueous humor where the glucose resides) instead of shining a light on the retina, which some similar methods use."

Note that it's a different method entirely than the methods described in the PDF you linked.

[Amy Tenderich @ Jun 19th 2008 4:02PM]

This blog and the photo are taken directly from www.diabetesmine.com. You should at least give credit!!

[Amy Tenderich @ Jun 19th 2008 4:16PM]

This blog and the photo are taken from a news tip I sent in this morning, from my post at:

http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/06/a-new-shot-at-glucose-monitoring-in-the-eye.html

You should at least give credit!

[clarkcox3 @ Jun 19th 2008 5:04PM]

Umm, they did give credit; they linked directly to the blog.

[Balls @ Jun 19th 2008 6:10PM]

You sent in a tip for your own blog-post?

Lame.

[Itchy Pajamas @ Jun 19th 2008 4:23PM]

I can't wait until something more pleasant than finger-sticking proves successful. I get so tired of the TV ads from the glucose meter companies saying things like "No more handling those pesky strips, with our new meter!" Please... putting the test strip into the meter is NOT the part we don't like.

[Howard @ Jun 19th 2008 4:32PM]

Finally, the days of tasting my pee to test my glucose levels are over!

[Jon Doe. @ Jun 19th 2008 5:37PM]

Meh....I test twice a day, down from 4 times when I was first diagnosed last fall. Not sure what the big deal is. Pinprick of blood, test, drop the strip in the pouch, away you go. Done in 20 seconds. Maybe one's fingers get more sensitive with age....or sensitivity varies from person to person. It just seems like there is this market for virtually pain free testing...where the pain is negligible, it seems, to begin with.
I guess dumping the need to buy strips would definitely be a plus.... *shrugs* Whatever.

[Darkroom @ Jun 19th 2008 6:00PM]

once i tested my blood to see what it was like, and that shit stings like a mother fucker, so i think it's a subjective experience.

also, you seem blasé... is it possible that your 'whatevs' attitude has contributed to you having been diagnosed?

[miglaugh @ Jun 19th 2008 6:55PM]

If neuropathy has already killed the nerves in your fingers, it doesn't matter to you anymore, but people who aren't in as bad of shape are feeling the sting a lot worse than you.

[Wwhat @ Jun 20th 2008 12:03AM]

Why do medics always do bloodtests like that with the top of the finger, the place that has several thousands more sensors than any other part of your hand which contains the same blood, and the place you constantly touch things with so you don't want pierced.
Don't answer that though, I think I know why, and what kind of people are drawn to such professions..

[Amy Tenderich @ Jun 19th 2008 6:00PM]

Hmm, I believe they used to mention the sources by name, which was much more noticeable. I had a bunch of readers forward me this post today asking what was up...?

Anyway, apologies.