There are 4.57 billion people in the world with access to the Internet. Do you know how many of them do not have access to medical care?

Can you see this text on the screen of your smartphone or computer? Are you able to look down at your hands, look out the window, look into the eyes of a loved one? If you answer yes, then you are among the lucky ones.

We often do not realize - or we just do not think about it - but the world around us is based on the ability to see. Sight is a sense that we use from the very first moments after birth - it helps newborns to get to know the surrounding environment, to establish a bond with their parents. Then it plays a big role in helping you take your first steps or mastering your balance. Then, thanks to it, children learn to ride a bike, read, and gain knowledge.

At every stage of our lives, we use our eyes almost constantly. Thanks to them, we care about meeting our basic needs. Vision is also the main analyzer in cognitive processes. It helps people know the world around them, informs about dangers, allows them to find themselves in space and is an invaluable support in everyday life. It is thanks to our eyes that we can enjoy the beauty of the surrounding world. We admire beautiful views, delight with art and nature. In addition, thanks to the registration of non-verbal messages such as gestures or facial expressions, sight helps in establishing interpersonal relations, which is extremely important for herd animals, which humans are.

We are visual learners and nothing will change that. That is why it is so important that our eyesight is in the best condition so that every person can use it until old age. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), eye diseases and visual disturbances are very common - and unfortunately still too often untreated. Citing WHO data*, we know that there are close to 2.2 billion people worldwide who suffer from a visual impairment, of which at least 1 billion have a condition that could be prevented or should be treated quickly. This problem is more cumulative in low- and middle-income countries, and it more often affects the poorer, the elderly and those who live in the countryside. Despite the development of technology and medicine, the prognosis is worrying - as a result of civilization changes, population growth and the extension of people's lives, the need for ophthalmic care will be even greater and today many people around the world cannot benefit from it.

Technology to the rescue

Thanks to the constant work of scientists and engineers, our everyday life is increasingly filled with modern technologies that improve our everyday life. No wonder that also in ophthalmology you hear more and more about pioneering methods that are about to help us. An online eye test is a perfect example of such a solution, using something that most of us still have at hand - a smartphone. FEYENALLY is focused on improving the quality of life for millions of people around the world. The creation of an application dedicated to eye examination is aimed at the development of ophthalmic diagnostics, enabling the examination of eyesight from anywhere in the world. This is not only a way to conveniently test your eyesight and order glasses. It will also improve the work of ophthalmologists, who will be able to focus on patients most in need, who currently cannot count on quick diagnostics and medical assistance.

The numbers do not lie

The world population at the beginning of 2022 is over 7.9 billion people. Almost 60% of them are internet users (4.57 billion) and 45% of this group have smartphones (3.5 billion). FEYENALLY estimates that the number of people with visual impairment (short- and farsightedness) who use smartphones is nearly 950 million.

FEYENALLY is focused on removing the barriers listed by the WHO that prevent so many people around the world from enjoying their vision. Availability for a hassle-free eye test, contact with a specialist, ease of ordering appropriate glasses - these are the overarching goals that guide our mission. Today, eye examination through a mobile application is the future - not only is this a purely commercial and business solution, but also a response to humanitarian needs. We hope that it will be used by governments and non-governmental organizations to support the people in need around the world.

Let's take care of what nature has given us, respecting our eyesight and making sure that we regularly examine our eyes. The world is too beautiful not to see it.

WHO report on vision available here:
https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789241516570