A novel smart-phone based portable tool for assessment of ocular uv damage, an early biomarker for predicting skin cancer risk

Start year: 2023

Summary: Australia experiences some of the highest levels of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world and our population suffers the consequences; an Australian is diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes and another 50 are diagnosed with UV-related cataract every day. UV-related damage to our body is cumulative, meaning all the UV exposure over the years contributes to the long-term risk of skin and eye diseases. Despite the magnitude of the problem, there are currently no objective means of assessing the UV damage an individual may have endured. We were the first to recognise that the UV-related conditions affecting the eye such as pterygium and cortical cataract, could be an early sign of skin cancer, decades before its manifestation. To document these early signs, we have developed an optical add-on device that can be retrofitted to everyday smart consumer devices. The add-on is used to capture images of the eye and to quantify UV damage levels. Our next project stage is to validate the device against the gold-standard benchtop device. Outcomes will allow us to establish the efficacy and functionality of our invention, paving the way for scaling the device at large.

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.