Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) surgery is a type of refractive laser eye surgery used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism by reshaping the cornea. PRK surgeries are very popular among active-duty DAF personnel as they enable Airmen to safely and quickly continue performing their duties and meet vision requirements without the need of glasses or contact lenses, which can impair performance and affect mission success. After a refractive surgery, which is also frequently performed in conjunction with cataract removal surgeries, patients are required to use eyedrop medications for up to 8 weeks to prevent infection and inflammation. However, medication non-compliance can cause postoperative complications including keratitis and uveitis, which add to patient care costs, lower quality of life, and can prevent DAF personnel from returning to their duties. In response, 231 Sheep has developed the Ocuelar platform, composed of: the Ocuelar SmartCap, a battery-free capsule that attaches to standard eyedrop bottles, monitoring patientsÂ’ eyedrop medication usage; the Ocuelar Patient App, a smartphone application that displays the data collected from the SmartCap and provides patients with analytics, feedback, and motivation to improve medication adherence; and Ocuelar Admin, a cloud platform for physicians, caregivers, and relatives to monitor patient adherence to medication.
