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LloydsPharmacy teams up with Sedgefield health tech firm to tackle blindness

LloydsPharmacy has partnered with Sedgefield-based PolyPhotonix to improve and extend the treatment it offers to prevent blindness.

Health technology firm PolyPhotonix has manufactured an eye mask to treat diabetic retinopathy, a chief cause of blindness. blindness.

The Noctura 400 sleep mask is an innovative treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), a condition which can cause sight loss. It will be available from the Lloyds Home Optician Service, The Outside Clinic.

LloydsPharmacy’s Managing Director, Cormac Tobin said: “The Noctura 400 treatment bridges the gap between optometry and pharmacy and is a perfect fit with our strategic direction of providing more value added services from our high street premises. I am thrilled that we can offer this game changing treatment to help our diabetic patients avoid the devastating consequences of diabetic related eye disease.”

A growing number of patients with DR have been using the mask for several months and a selection of their inspiring stories can be found on the Noctura website.

One such patient is Lorraine Helliwell, who had previously required a number of laser treatments which unfortunately damages peripheral vision and can result in someone losing their driving licence. Lorraine has now been wearing the mask for over a year and has been given the all clear from her specialist

“I live right in the middle of the sticks I’ve got to be able to drive. I like playing the piano I enjoy sewing I like doing craft work anything like that that involves your sight really you can’t do it without. It’s changed my life - for the better.”

PolyPhotonix CEO Richard Kirk said: “While traditional treatments for Diabetic Retinopathy involve painful injections into the eyeball or laser therapy, our mask provides a home based, non-invasive alternative and it’s an incredible honour to be able to offer the device through the trusted household name of LloydsPharmacy.”

The mask is designed to be worn by the patient at night. It emits a low-level light, which does not interfere with sleep, to reduce the eyes’ need for oxygen and stop damage from occurring.

The revenues from the mask are being reinvested by PolyPhotonix to fund the development of other bio-photonic devices and the company has also pledged to give a share of its sales revenues to Fight for Sight, the UK’s main eye research charity that funds pioneering research to prevent sight loss and treat eye disease.

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