April 29, 2024 • 19 mins
Clearly KC host Dr. Melissa Barnett OD visits with Mark Morarie, inventor of The LensBase, a useful device that helps patients insert scleral lenses. Mark remembers receiving the keratoconus diagnosis after his near perfect vision declined. His vision improved with scleral lenses, but he struggled with applying his lenses. Over several years, he tinkered with designs to produce an aid for contact lens wearers. Now an FDA registered medical device, The LensBase is portable, clean, stylish, low tech and gentle on the eye. Designed by a keratoconus patient and scleral lens user, anyone who dreads putting lenses in should listen to this episode and visit TheLensBase.com.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:04):
Welcome to episode 26 of the Clearly Casey podcast featuring information about life with keratoconus.
I'm your host, Dr.
Melissa Barnett.
Today we are joined by Mark, who's an inventor, founder, and everyday user of LensBase.
So we're going to learn all about LensBase.
Welcome, Mark.
Thank you.
(00:24):
It's great to be here.
Thanks for having me.
Thanks for joining us.
.999So we're here to talk about your clever invention for applying scleral lenses, but first I'd like to know a little bit more about your journey with Keratoconus.
.999Of course. 13 00:00:40,384.999 --> 00:00:41,745 I think the first time.
I heard of Karataconis was, as a snowboarding coach, one of the athletes, brothers had Karataconis and he was one of the three siblings that was sort of uninvolved in the sport, and was a bright and athletic kid, but he really had to pull back from so many things.
(00:59):
Because of keratoconus and it was presented as this wildly rare disease.
And I was like, Oh, that's a bummer.
.9985And I even remember back then hearing, his glasses don't really do much, but he can't get his contacts in. 18 00:01:12,829.9985 --> 00:01:15,489.998 So he just has to live with this subpar. 19 00:01:15,989.999 --> 00:01:30,209.998 vision and within five years of that, I, myself who'd gone from having perfect vision, all the way into my early twenties, all of a sudden found myself squinting at some things. 20 00:01:30,479.997 --> 00:01:37,939.998 I had just gotten into grad school and I had to pull back I went from 2020 to like 2070 in just two and a half or three years. 21 00:01:38,379.998 --> 00:01:40,79.998 it was really, really frustrating. 22 00:01:40,159.998 --> 00:01:42,589.998 I couldn't do so many of the things I wanted to do. 23 00:01:43,69.998 --> 00:01:50,894.998 Snowboarding specifically there's situations where you're in very low contrast, Light and for a keratoconus patient. 24 00:01:50,904.998 --> 00:01:51,594.998 That's a nightmare. 25 00:01:52,54.998 --> 00:01:53,24.998 Right, right. 26 00:01:53,414.998 --> 00:02:05,284.898 And it was misdiagnosed for I think three years because I think I was 26 or 27 by the time I got the right doctor and the right lens. 27 00:02:05,294.898 --> 00:02:08,374.898 People laugh when they hear this now, but at the time they thought it was pellucid. 28 00:02:08,959.898 --> 00:02:11,99.898 Which is almost like the opposite. 29 00:02:11,99.898 --> 00:02:13,419.898 It's related to corneal thinning as well. 30 00:02:13,419.898 --> 00:02:14,549.898 You mentioned a few things. 31 00:02:14,549.898 --> 00:02:27,559.898 One that is that keratoconus is not very common, but we know now that it is so incredibly common and there've actually been some recent studies just this year showing how common it is. 32 00:02:27,569.898 --> 00:02:29,639.898 So it is important for everyone. 33 00:02:29,639.898 --> 00:02:34,59.898 And I'm saying this to all eye doctors here to be aware and be on the lookout. 34 00:02:34,304.898 --> 00:02:36,264.898 For keratoconus in every single patient. 35 00:02:36,274.898 --> 00:02:40,194.898 There are ways to do this even without any fancy technology. 36 00:02:40,244.898 --> 00:03:00,499.898 Of course, we do have fancy technology like corneal tomography to image the front part of the cornea and the back part of the cornea, but we can do things like looking for changing prescriptions, retinoscopy, looking And the light reflects associated conditions as well, like allergies and atopy and asthma and eye rubbing and all those things and down syndrome. 37 00:03:00,899.898 --> 00:03:15,89.898 It is so important for everyone to be aware that keratoconus can come up really at any age, but very commonly, like you said, in your late teens, 20s, so we see it all the time. 38 00:03:15,379.898 --> 00:03:16,369.898 yeah, that, that's what I. 39 00:03:16,664.898 --> 00:03:25,564.899 Kind of realized by the time I was 30, the disease isn't so much rare, but the doctors and the technology to diagnose it, was unfortunately rare at the time. 40 00:03:26,744.899 --> 00:03:26,964.899 Right. 41 00:03:26,964.899 --> 00:03:30,104.898 And it's becoming more common, but still not in every single practice. 42 00:03:30,574.898 --> 00:03:35,354.9 And then as far as, Polusid and Keratoconus, they're differing thoughts here. 43 00:03:35,474.9 --> 00:03:37,194.9 Some people think it's a continuum. 44 00:03:37,844.9 --> 00:03:41,714.9 I think that the important thing is that we're going to treat the same way. 45 00:03:42,604.9 --> 00:03:46,294.9 And so we can cross link to strengthen the cornea. 46 00:03:46,344.9 --> 00:03:49,664.899 We can use specialty contact lenses to rehabilitate vision. 47 00:03:50,144.9 --> 00:04:00,229.9 And yes, the designs are different that we use, especially when it comes to scleral lenses, but there are, Ways to treat both that are actually quite similar. 48 00:04:01,19.9 --> 00:04:09,69.899 And then the snowboarding and the low contrast, that was super interesting because I have a lot of patients I'm here in Northern California. 49 00:04:09,259.9 --> 00:04:10,509.899 We're very close to Lake Tahoe. 50 00:04:11,79.899 --> 00:04:17,849.9 So I have a lot of patients who ski a lot and scleral lenses have been so helpful for so many of them. 51 00:04:17,879.9 --> 00:04:22,429.9 But I haven't thought so much about that low contrast situation, which is right on. 52 00:04:22,809.9 --> 00:04:23,149.9 Yeah. 53 00:04:23,209.9 --> 00:04:28,804.9 And, and if you're doing it at a high level, you're in really good critical situations and you're having to make split second decisions. 54 00:04:28,804.9 --> 00:04:38,614.9 And sometimes you get that really flat light if you have functional eyeballs, then you can manage that, but it's hard enough in good light. 55 00:04:38,774.899 --> 00:04:39,854.899 If you don't have the right direction. 56 00:04:39,944.899 --> 00:04:41,564.9 Very dangerous situations too. 57 00:04:42,64.9 --> 00:04:42,574.9 Yeah. 58 00:04:42,964.9 --> 00:04:43,684.9 Yeah, definitely. 59 00:04:43,684.9 --> 00:05:10,989.46163636 Do you have any family history of poor vision or do you personally have any history of allergies or eye rubbing or anything like that? Oh yeah, I was a big time rubber I thought it was cause I grew up on a farm and then I thought it was just dusty and I had eye allergies, but I'd sit there on the couch for like hours and just, Rub my eyes and it was like it never made it better, but you just Couldn't stop, and we tried all kinds of stuff saline and I don't really have that issue anymore. 60 00:05:10,989.56163636 --> 00:05:17,549.46363636 And I wonder if maybe because the scleral is kind of like, they take up so much of my, sorry, dog. 61 00:05:17,899.46363636 --> 00:05:21,159.46363636 They take up so much of the eyeball surface that maybe they're just not noticed. 62 00:05:21,269.46363636 --> 00:05:21,689.46363636 I don't know. 63 00:05:21,739.46363636 --> 00:05:22,529.46363636 We love your dog. 64 00:05:22,629.46363636 --> 00:05:22,979.46363636 Oh, okay. 65 00:05:23,929.46363636 --> 00:05:24,459.46363636 His name's Tiago. 66 00:05:25,19.46363636 --> 00:05:26,169.46363636 We love the podcast too. 67 00:05:26,469.46363636 --> 00:05:34,69.46363636 A lot of people say that getting a diagnosis of keratoconus is a relief, even if it's a condition that they never heard of before. 68 00:05:34,249.46363636 --> 00:05:41,104.46363636 Do you remember how you felt when a doctor finally put a name to your vision symptoms? Sure. 69 00:05:41,124.46363636 --> 00:05:41,334.46363636 Yeah. 70 00:05:41,334.46363636 --> 00:05:48,114.46363636 initially I was terrified because the way that it had been presented to me was just this wildly debilitating thing. 71 00:05:48,394.46363636 --> 00:05:54,204.46263636 And it was like, oh my gosh, what a coincidence, I have this disease as well that was presented as so rare. 72 00:05:54,384.46163636 --> 00:05:55,844.46163636 Initially I think I was shocked. 73 00:05:56,309.46163636 --> 00:05:57,769.46163636 And I couldn't believe it. 74 00:05:57,769.46163636 --> 00:05:59,409.46163636 I called my friends that I used to coach for. 75 00:05:59,409.46163636 --> 00:06:03,489.46163636 I was like, guess what, here I am, you know, um, same boat. 76 00:06:04,169.46063636 --> 00:06:05,599.46213636 And, I started off. 77 00:06:06,639.46213636 --> 00:06:07,569.46213636 Wearing all kinds. 78 00:06:07,569.46213636 --> 00:06:20,99.46163636 I think I've worn every kind of lens there is starting with when they just thought it was a bad astigmatism, all the different Torics and different types of monthly or dailies and eventually they said, we got to put you in our GPS. 79 00:06:20,139.46263636 --> 00:06:27,949.36313636 And that was probably the most miserable two years, for all the reasons we know the tilting and it just always felt like you had sand in your eyes. 80 00:06:27,969.36313636 --> 00:06:31,959.36313636 And so I became one of those people and I'll answer your question about my family too. 81 00:06:32,329.36313636 --> 00:06:34,879.36313636 I started just trying to make it work with glasses. 82 00:06:35,419.36313636 --> 00:06:39,929.36313636 And this was before the Keratoconus diagnosis. 83 00:06:40,239.36313636 --> 00:06:45,659.36413636 I just was squinting through life and I was, still really scared to drive at night. 84 00:06:45,729.36413636 --> 00:06:53,769.36463636 There's so many really sketchy situations where you just can't see for a few seconds, because a car's passing in the oncoming lane. 85 00:06:54,829.36463636 --> 00:06:56,59.36463636 Yeah, really, really scary stuff. 86 00:06:56,89.36463636 --> 00:06:59,659.36463636 And also you just had these headaches from squinting at everything all day. 87 00:06:59,789.36463636 --> 00:07:07,139.36363636 I really feel like, when most of your life, you've had sharp vision, your mental acuity is dependent on it. 88 00:07:07,579.36363636 --> 00:07:10,149.36463636 So you lose that huge data input. 89 00:07:10,879.36463636 --> 00:07:14,929.36463636 system and your thoughts don't feel clear anymore. 90 00:07:15,89.36463636 --> 00:07:16,469.36463636 You feel lethargic. 91 00:07:16,489.36463636 --> 00:07:21,919.36463636 I'd always been this like really high energy, ambitious person, and I just felt lazy and unmotivated. 92 00:07:21,919.36463636 --> 00:07:24,419.36363636 And it really started to affect me at so many levels. 93 00:07:24,759.36463636 --> 00:07:31,759.36463636 And so to get the keratoconus, diagnosis, there was an element of hope, but I didn't know that there was so many great ways to treat it. 94 00:07:31,829.36363636 --> 00:07:39,399.36363636 And like I said, it was one of those milestone moments where you remember everything and leaving the clinic that day. 95 00:07:40,79.36363636 --> 00:07:43,99.36363636 And it was initially in hybrids, but I could see details. 96 00:07:43,99.36363636 --> 00:07:44,589.36363636 I could see leaves on trees. 97 00:07:44,589.36363636 --> 00:07:45,559.36363636 I could see all these things. 98 00:07:45,559.36363636 --> 00:07:47,239.36363636 I didn't have glasses on my face. 99 00:07:47,289.36363636 --> 00:07:51,479.36463636 And I remember welling up and just becoming really emotional right there in the parking lot. 100 00:07:51,489.36463636 --> 00:07:54,549.36463636 Like, Oh my gosh, I never thought I'd see like this again. 101 00:07:55,369.36463636 --> 00:07:56,479.36463636 That's amazing. 102 00:07:56,689.36463636 --> 00:07:57,769.36463636 It's amazing. 103 00:07:57,779.36463636 --> 00:08:12,799.36363636 The leads on trees and just the detail that you can see and we're actually sharing a story this week about a patient who is just looking and staring at the leaves on the trees for like 15 minutes. 104 00:08:12,899.36363636 --> 00:08:13,909.36463636 He was just sitting there. 105 00:08:14,149.36463636 --> 00:08:18,409.36463636 Looking at the leaves on the trees because you could see them and you were so excited. 106 00:08:18,559.36463636 --> 00:08:21,789.36463636 It's crazy, but they're beautiful and you've just been living without them. 107 00:08:21,829.36463636 --> 00:08:27,399.36463636 And, then the other part was that like that mental sharpness started to return and I felt like myself again. 108 00:08:27,539.36463636 --> 00:08:29,419.36463636 It was like, this is so cool. 109 00:08:29,719.36463636 --> 00:08:31,499.36463636 and the hybrids weren't perfect. 110 00:08:31,499.36463636 --> 00:08:32,689.36463636 It weren't a perfect solution. 111 00:08:32,699.36463636 --> 00:08:34,719.36463636 They were the best thing I'd had in a long time. 112 00:08:35,49.36463636 --> 00:08:48,269.36463636 and then I happen to have a friend in Houston where I was living at the time who was in school and called me one day and said, we're doing a study to develop this wave front guided scleral lens. 113 00:08:48,579.36463636 --> 00:08:49,699.36513636 It's a five year study. 114 00:08:49,869.36413636 --> 00:08:51,229.36513636 You gotta come once a week. 115 00:08:51,699.36513636 --> 00:08:53,159.36413636 We'll pay you to do it. 116 00:08:53,289.36413636 --> 00:08:55,69.36313636 And I was like, don't worry about that. 117 00:08:55,69.36313636 --> 00:08:55,579.36313636 Let's do it. 118 00:08:55,579.36313636 --> 00:08:56,419.36313636 let's dive into this. 119 00:08:56,429.36313636 --> 00:08:57,229.36313636 That sounds awesome. 120 00:08:57,749.36313636 --> 00:09:00,339.36313636 And I was resistant because I was like, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 121 00:09:00,339.36313636 --> 00:09:02,209.36313636 Like I'm seeing better than I have in a long time. 122 00:09:02,379.36313636 --> 00:09:03,679.36313636 And she pushed and pushed and pushed. 123 00:09:03,929.36313636 --> 00:09:04,849.36313636 You got to try squirrels. 124 00:09:04,849.36313636 --> 00:09:05,809.36313636 You got to try squirrels. 125 00:09:05,939.36213636 --> 00:09:06,539.36213636 Okay. 126 00:09:06,659.36313636 --> 00:09:09,329.36313636 And I'm so glad I did, except for the fact that. 127 00:09:09,984.36313636 --> 00:09:12,514.36313636 They were even more difficult. 128 00:09:12,544.36313636 --> 00:09:16,44.36313636 I already struggled with insertion with every lens I ever had. 129 00:09:16,624.36313636 --> 00:09:19,854.36313636 And these things were like, that is something. 130 00:09:19,894.36413636 --> 00:09:26,554.36413636 But how do you get these in, which I think is going to lead into lens space here. 131 00:09:26,784.36413636 --> 00:09:27,294.36413636 Yeah. 132 00:09:27,314.36413636 --> 00:09:28,834.36313636 Tell us a little bit more about the study. 133 00:09:28,834.36313636 --> 00:09:32,954.36413636 What did it involve? Five years, once a week? Five years, once a week. 134 00:09:33,4.36413636 --> 00:09:35,354.36413636 Trying on multiple lenses. 135 00:09:35,414.36413636 --> 00:09:41,344.36413636 I've had so much fluorescein in my eyes that like, they should still glow under a black light to this day. 136 00:09:42,694.36413636 --> 00:09:43,524.36313636 Yeah, totally. 137 00:09:43,694.36413636 --> 00:09:51,404.36413636 Every week we would be putting on a variety of different lenses and there was a team of doctors I became, good friends with after five years. 138 00:09:51,754.36413636 --> 00:09:53,414.36413636 Still correspond with some of them. 139 00:09:53,744.36413636 --> 00:10:04,944.36463636 So you'd put on lenses, you would go do a low contrast test, and then you would do the, way front machine, over and over and over again for about an hour every week. 140 00:10:05,344.36463636 --> 00:10:12,549.26563636 One fun memory from that study was on the very first day I was sitting there waiting for something to happen. 141 00:10:14,829.36563636 --> 00:10:19,989.36563636 And I looked at the eye chart and it was one of the ones that start with D A O E G N U S. 142 00:10:20,449.36563636 --> 00:10:22,629.36563636 And I told the doctor, Oh, that's so clever. 143 00:10:22,629.36563636 --> 00:10:27,959.26563636 That's, actually Dow Agnes is, um, it's Latin for the gift of sight the gift of vision. 144 00:10:28,319.26563636 --> 00:10:29,339.26563636 And he says, no way. 145 00:10:29,449.26463636 --> 00:10:30,99.26563636 That's so cool. 146 00:10:30,769.26563636 --> 00:10:36,544.26563636 And then years later, I was talking to him about, did you actually believe me? Cause I completely made that up. 147 00:10:36,584.26563636 --> 00:10:36,994.26563636 I don't know. 148 00:10:37,14.26563636 --> 00:10:39,764.16563636 I don't speak Latin or anything like that. 149 00:10:39,764.26563636 --> 00:10:41,474.26563636 His face went totally blank. 150 00:10:41,524.26563636 --> 00:10:43,544.26463636 And he's like, I've told that to so many people. 151 00:10:47,664.26563636 --> 00:10:50,224.26663636 Well, it's a great group there at the university of Houston. 152 00:10:50,324.26663636 --> 00:10:50,624.26663636 Yeah. 153 00:10:50,624.26663636 --> 00:10:51,419.26663636 They're amazing. 154 00:10:51,419.26663636 --> 00:10:56,394.26663636 I don't know for a lot of like name drop Here, but Dr Chi Nguyen and Dr. 155 00:10:56,754.26663636 --> 00:10:57,274.26663636 Roxana Hamadi. 156 00:10:58,309.26663636 --> 00:11:01,659.16663636 Saw them every single week and they're fantastic, wonderful people. 157 00:11:01,969.16663636 --> 00:11:10,139.16563636 So, I was one of those people that would have a soaked countertop, one of those blue paper bibs, it took so many times, I couldn't do it. 158 00:11:10,149.16563636 --> 00:11:13,499.16563636 I needed to hold my eye open and I needed to have Dr. 159 00:11:13,499.16563636 --> 00:11:15,539.16563636 Hamadi mostly putting these things in. 160 00:11:16,119.16563636 --> 00:11:22,829.16313636 And it was kind of futile because she's not going to be there tomorrow when you have to do this, in your bathroom, you don't have the support there. 161 00:11:23,69.16213636 --> 00:11:24,359.16213636 You're going to have to figure it out. 162 00:11:24,409.16213636 --> 00:11:29,899.16213636 And I'm sure you hear about it all the time where they're like, wow, go punch a hole in a cup and put your little scleral holder in there. 163 00:11:30,444.16213636 --> 00:11:32,424.16213636 Okay, well, all right, that I can do that. 164 00:11:32,474.16213636 --> 00:11:44,694.16213636 And then I was like, I just kept having these ideas of why not make it a little more gentle for your eye? Why not make it something that's really portable, really easy to travel with. 165 00:11:44,754.16113636 --> 00:11:53,394.16113636 Why not have it be something that catches all of that runoff solution? And not make a mess on your countertop every day, not waste so many paper towels. 166 00:11:54,184.16113636 --> 00:12:04,354.16213636 And so I kept tinkering with things and I would bring in my latest contraption because I had these appointments every single week and they mostly just laughed, for the first few years, there was one that was really funny. 167 00:12:04,354.16313636 --> 00:12:11,274.16213636 It was like, it was the cup, right? But I'd cut the bottom off of it and I put it on the top and I'd suspended it by like rubber bands. 168 00:12:11,729.16213636 --> 00:12:18,399.16213636 So that you have almost like this trampoline effect didn't work at all, but it was all because I wanted something that was a little more gentle. 169 00:12:18,449.16213636 --> 00:12:22,319.16213636 And I eventually did figure that out down the line to make it a little nicer to your eye. 170 00:12:23,199.16213636 --> 00:12:29,89.16113636 I understand that you're using a 3d printer to create prototypes of one space. 171 00:12:29,269.16113636 --> 00:12:33,469.16113636 Initially, I 3d printed a whole bunch of different prototypes. 172 00:12:34,89.16113636 --> 00:12:38,219.06113636 3d printings too slow and expensive to do anything at scale. 173 00:12:38,219.06113636 --> 00:12:40,919.06113636 So we injection, uh, everything now. 174 00:12:41,19.06113636 --> 00:12:43,559.06113636 But we use all antimicrobial stuff. 175 00:12:43,589.06013636 --> 00:12:43,979.06013636 Dr. 176 00:12:43,979.06113636 --> 00:12:56,649.06113636 Wynn was like, so adamant that anything I came up with needed to be super easy to sanitize, really, really clean, had to be the right materials, I can get into the design features later. 177 00:12:56,649.06113636 --> 00:13:05,869.06113636 The design features, I actually, I was talking to Mary the other day and I had it on my desk and I was playing with it and talking about it. 178 00:13:05,879.06113636 --> 00:13:09,749.06213636 So tell everyone, I'm curious how you came up with that size. 179 00:13:10,329.06113636 --> 00:13:10,789.06113636 Sure. 180 00:13:10,819.06113636 --> 00:13:16,349.06213636 It just seemed like the perfect size there's just enough room for my hands and I've kind of big hands. 181 00:13:16,679.06213636 --> 00:13:18,919.06213636 it was the right height from the countertop. 182 00:13:18,959.06213636 --> 00:13:20,879.06113636 I like to get my elbows down and a nice. 183 00:13:21,39.06213636 --> 00:13:21,699.06213636 little base. 184 00:13:22,29.06213636 --> 00:13:32,749.06213636 Let me back up a little bit, like years into this study, when I kept bringing these funny things in, they said, you know, there's other inventions that kind of try to do what you're trying to do here. 185 00:13:32,959.06213636 --> 00:13:36,449.06113636 And I was like, why didn't you tell me about them? And they said, well, they're silly. 186 00:13:36,459.06113636 --> 00:13:37,209.06113636 They don't really. 187 00:13:37,994.06113636 --> 00:13:42,954.06113636 Do much more than your cup at home does, but they're hundreds of dollars. 188 00:13:43,24.06113636 --> 00:13:45,274.06113636 They're cost prohibitive for most patients. 189 00:13:45,304.06113636 --> 00:13:59,814.06113636 And they're like, we have a few, and they took me to this like back closet and dusted them off and showed me, so a big thing in my mind was always, how do you make this accessible for anyone? You can't have electronics in this thing because then your production costs skyrocket. 190 00:13:59,814.06113636 --> 00:14:01,764.06113636 You have to ask several hundred dollars for them. 191 00:14:02,244.06113636 --> 00:14:10,932.44518337 You don't want to have to change your batteries on this when you're traveling and that would like pack into a small, profile and really easy to toss in your backpack or something like that. 192 00:14:11,32.44518337 --> 00:14:11,972.44518337 It's very compact. 193 00:14:12,492.44418337 --> 00:14:13,62.44518337 Yeah, for sure. 194 00:14:13,662.44418337 --> 00:14:17,382.44418337 And, and it works without the addition of any electronics too. 195 00:14:17,382.44418337 --> 00:14:23,622.44318337 If you look at that base, the center of that base is elevated, to catch as much ambient light as possible. 196 00:14:23,662.44318337 --> 00:14:24,82.44318337 And. 197 00:14:24,402.44318337 --> 00:14:32,692.44318337 The other part I think that a lot of people don't realize is when you put a lens in it and you fill that lens with solution, you're creating almost like a magnifying glass. 198 00:14:33,442.44318337 --> 00:14:35,962.44318337 And as you get closer to it, it really does magnify anything. 199 00:14:36,202.44218337 --> 00:14:40,242.44318337 So if you're going to shine a bright light through that, it's going to be even more intense. 200 00:14:40,252.44318337 --> 00:14:43,702.44418337 And that's not something I want to do first thing in the morning, generally. 201 00:14:43,722.44418337 --> 00:14:48,852.44418337 So it's actually a lot of light that gets through with lens base, but not an overwhelming amount. 202 00:14:48,962.44418337 --> 00:14:54,462.44418337 And I've done it in dimly lit tents and, no lights on in the bathroom, just a little bit of ambient window light. 203 00:14:54,892.44418337 --> 00:14:56,732.44518337 And, it works beautifully. 204 00:14:57,282.44418337 --> 00:15:09,822.44468337 So, I started 3D printing, And I would send in all these drawings and everybody was like NDA, but they were just, I found this really, really cool group of prototypers in Fort worth. 205 00:15:10,192.44468337 --> 00:15:14,662.44268337 And they had similar, scalability concerns with a lot of them. 206 00:15:14,662.44268337 --> 00:15:19,332.44368337 I came up with some wildly over engineered ideas, six different prototypes. 207 00:15:19,382.44368337 --> 00:15:21,772.44368337 And it was something that I just tinkered with over the years. 208 00:15:21,822.44368337 --> 00:15:23,772.34368337 I didn't have all the time in the world to mess with it. 209 00:15:24,52.44368337 --> 00:15:42,22.44268337 So when I had, a few ideas, I would make some drawings and I'd send them to the lab and then they'd send me some cat images and I'd go, Oh, I think maybe we should tweak this or that, or, Oh, it has these, this sort of frog leg design, these little elbows in it, which, once it was a snap together design, I was like, well, I don't want. 210 00:15:42,522.44268337 --> 00:15:48,362.44268337 The saline to run through those holes, you snapped it into and onto your countertop that kind of defeats one of the value ads. 211 00:15:48,372.44268337 --> 00:15:54,992.44168337 So, we added these little elbows that guides the solution right down into the tray, and keeps that countertop clean. 212 00:15:55,92.44268337 --> 00:15:58,652.44168337 So yeah, 3d printing was a huge resource for the longest time. 213 00:15:58,702.44168337 --> 00:16:00,442.44268337 I got a lot of prototypes that way. 214 00:16:00,807.44268337 --> 00:16:06,807.44268337 And in 2001 I sat back and I thought, I can't think of anything to make this better. 215 00:16:07,447.44268337 --> 00:16:08,507.44268337 I think this is ready. 216 00:16:09,597.44268337 --> 00:16:18,917.44268337 And so I filed for a utility patent, which we received a full utility patent within 14 months on the first pass, which I'm told is unheard of. 217 00:16:19,777.44268337 --> 00:16:36,127.44268337 And, got all set up to manufacture in Hong Kong and, did some fundraising and then I had a year to, get everything straight with the FDA and become a registered medical device, which takes absolutely forever, in that year. 218 00:16:36,897.44268337 --> 00:16:38,387.44268337 I had a lot of friends that wanted to try it. 219 00:16:38,387.44268337 --> 00:16:39,427.44268337 I had my prototype. 220 00:16:39,727.44268337 --> 00:16:43,917.4426834 And I needed it to work for soft lenses too. 221 00:16:44,317.4426834 --> 00:16:50,917.4426834 So I'd spent that time while we're waiting for the FDA, making the necessary tweaks to be able to service soft lenses. 222 00:16:51,607.4426834 --> 00:16:52,947.4426834 And it does, which is really cool. 223 00:16:54,197.4426834 --> 00:16:54,737.4426834 That's awesome. 224 00:16:54,757.4426834 --> 00:16:59,607.4426834 So what are you hearing from customers and doctors who've used the lens base? They love it. 225 00:16:59,647.4426834 --> 00:17:03,517.4426834 From the soft lens side, they just say, wow, it just holds the lens better. 226 00:17:03,817.4416834 --> 00:17:06,687.4416834 I don't personally know other people that use scleral. 227 00:17:06,687.4416834 --> 00:17:12,837.4416834 So I haven't gotten to like really dig into those conversations, but so far the response from the industry has been amazing. 228 00:17:12,997.4416834 --> 00:17:15,487.4416834 I was meeting with a lens specialist the other day, Yep. 229 00:17:16,197.4416834 --> 00:17:20,677.4416834 Here in Denver and he flat out said yeah, every pair of sclerals should come with one of these. 230 00:17:21,97.4416834 --> 00:17:22,927.4416834 This is so obvious this is so cool. 231 00:17:23,757.4416834 --> 00:17:34,62.4416834 There's two lens companies valley Contacts out of Oregon, and then Accu Lens here in Denver who are, promoting it to their entire, doctor and patient base. 232 00:17:34,362.4416834 --> 00:17:39,392.4416834 We're gonna be coex exhibiting, in San Diego in a couple of weeks, Accu Lens and I Oh, wonderful. 233 00:17:40,177.4416834 --> 00:17:40,997.4416834 And ICSC. 234 00:17:41,17.4416834 --> 00:17:41,597.4416834 That's great. 235 00:17:41,667.4416834 --> 00:17:41,957.4416834 Yeah. 236 00:17:41,957.4416834 --> 00:17:49,237.4416834 even from the very beginning, the first time I brought it into an eye clinic because I knew I was gonna be fitting some new sclerals that day. 237 00:17:50,697.4416834 --> 00:17:52,767.4416834 She said, where did you get that? And I said, I made it. 238 00:17:52,777.4416834 --> 00:17:56,447.4416834 And she said, what's our cost? How do we get that? It's just been so cool. 239 00:17:56,447.4416834 --> 00:18:01,187.4411834 Just that this thing you've tinkered with for a decade is all of a sudden something people want to use. 240 00:18:01,227.4411834 --> 00:18:02,567.4411834 And it means the world to me. 241 00:18:02,957.4411834 --> 00:18:04,207.4411834 What an inspiring story. 242 00:18:04,217.4421834 --> 00:18:08,935.3103758 So tell us how we get it, how my patients are interested or doctors are interested. 243 00:18:08,977.3651053 --> 00:18:26,994.7801364 How, how do we get lens space? our goal now is to give that same sense of restored faith to care to Conan's patients, that the right lenses will change your world and you're not going to mind putting them in every day. 244 00:18:27,314.7801364 --> 00:18:29,144.7801364 It's not going to be the worst part of your morning. 245 00:18:29,154.7801364 --> 00:18:30,204.7801364 It's going to be easy. 246 00:18:30,754.7801364 --> 00:18:32,914.7801364 And it's going to make this sustainable in your life. 247 00:18:33,784.7801364 --> 00:18:35,494.7801364 You asked where you could find it. 248 00:18:35,874.7801364 --> 00:18:36,644.7801364 The lens base. 249 00:18:36,874.7801364 --> 00:18:38,724.7791364 com they're available there. 250 00:18:39,64.7801364 --> 00:18:40,514.7801364 They're 35. 251 00:18:40,944.7801364 --> 00:18:47,724.7801364 Well, I think it's great to have a resource to know that we can look on the website and then we'll have a link to that as well. 252 00:18:47,934.7791364 --> 00:18:48,164.7791364 Okay. 253 00:18:49,989.7801364 --> 00:18:50,209.7801364 Yep. 254 00:18:50,319.7801364 --> 00:18:50,579.7801364 Awesome. 255 00:18:50,579.8801364 --> 00:18:52,129.6801364 Yeah. 256 00:18:52,129.7801364 --> 00:18:52,659.7801364 Perfect. 257 00:18:52,659.7801364 --> 00:18:52,849.7801364 Mark. 258 00:18:52,849.7801364 --> 00:19:00,449.7801364 Thank you so much for joining us and inspiring us on the clearly Casey podcast for all of our listeners. 259 00:19:00,469.7791364 --> 00:19:03,219.7791364 Thank you so much for joining us on clearly Casey. 260 00:19:03,579.7801364 --> 00:19:12,799.7801364 Please listen to all the episodes of the clearly Casey podcast on pod bean or your favorite podcast app to subscribe and get future episodes for now. 261 00:19:12,869.7801364 --> 00:19:13,479.7801364 I'm Dr. 262 00:19:13,479.7801364 --> 00:19:14,169.7801364 Melissa Barnett. 263 00:19:14,544.7801364 --> 00:19:16,314.7801364 See you next time on Clearly Casey. 264 00:19:17,364.7801364 --> 00:19:17,724.7801364 Thank you.
Welcome to episode 26 of the Clearly Casey podcast featuring information about life with keratoconus.
I'm your host, Dr.
Melissa Barnett.
Today we are joined by Mark, who's an inventor, founder, and everyday user of LensBase.
So we're going to learn all about LensBase.
Welcome, Mark.
Thank you.
(00:24):
It's great to be here.
Thanks for having me.
Thanks for joining us.
.999So we're here to talk about your clever invention for applying scleral lenses, but first I'd like to know a little bit more about your journey with Keratoconus.
.999Of course. 13 00:00:40,384.999 --> 00:00:41,745 I think the first time.
I heard of Karataconis was, as a snowboarding coach, one of the athletes, brothers had Karataconis and he was one of the three siblings that was sort of uninvolved in the sport, and was a bright and athletic kid, but he really had to pull back from so many things.
(00:59):
Because of keratoconus and it was presented as this wildly rare disease.
And I was like, Oh, that's a bummer.
.9985And I even remember back then hearing, his glasses don't really do much, but he can't get his contacts in. 18 00:01:12,829.9985 --> 00:01:15,489.998 So he just has to live with this subpar. 19 00:01:15,989.999 --> 00:01:30,209.998 vision and within five years of that, I, myself who'd gone from having perfect vision, all the way into my early twenties, all of a sudden found myself squinting at some things. 20 00:01:30,479.997 --> 00:01:37,939.998 I had just gotten into grad school and I had to pull back I went from 2020 to like 2070 in just two and a half or three years. 21 00:01:38,379.998 --> 00:01:40,79.998 it was really, really frustrating. 22 00:01:40,159.998 --> 00:01:42,589.998 I couldn't do so many of the things I wanted to do. 23 00:01:43,69.998 --> 00:01:50,894.998 Snowboarding specifically there's situations where you're in very low contrast, Light and for a keratoconus patient. 24 00:01:50,904.998 --> 00:01:51,594.998 That's a nightmare. 25 00:01:52,54.998 --> 00:01:53,24.998 Right, right. 26 00:01:53,414.998 --> 00:02:05,284.898 And it was misdiagnosed for I think three years because I think I was 26 or 27 by the time I got the right doctor and the right lens. 27 00:02:05,294.898 --> 00:02:08,374.898 People laugh when they hear this now, but at the time they thought it was pellucid. 28 00:02:08,959.898 --> 00:02:11,99.898 Which is almost like the opposite. 29 00:02:11,99.898 --> 00:02:13,419.898 It's related to corneal thinning as well. 30 00:02:13,419.898 --> 00:02:14,549.898 You mentioned a few things. 31 00:02:14,549.898 --> 00:02:27,559.898 One that is that keratoconus is not very common, but we know now that it is so incredibly common and there've actually been some recent studies just this year showing how common it is. 32 00:02:27,569.898 --> 00:02:29,639.898 So it is important for everyone. 33 00:02:29,639.898 --> 00:02:34,59.898 And I'm saying this to all eye doctors here to be aware and be on the lookout. 34 00:02:34,304.898 --> 00:02:36,264.898 For keratoconus in every single patient. 35 00:02:36,274.898 --> 00:02:40,194.898 There are ways to do this even without any fancy technology. 36 00:02:40,244.898 --> 00:03:00,499.898 Of course, we do have fancy technology like corneal tomography to image the front part of the cornea and the back part of the cornea, but we can do things like looking for changing prescriptions, retinoscopy, looking And the light reflects associated conditions as well, like allergies and atopy and asthma and eye rubbing and all those things and down syndrome. 37 00:03:00,899.898 --> 00:03:15,89.898 It is so important for everyone to be aware that keratoconus can come up really at any age, but very commonly, like you said, in your late teens, 20s, so we see it all the time. 38 00:03:15,379.898 --> 00:03:16,369.898 yeah, that, that's what I. 39 00:03:16,664.898 --> 00:03:25,564.899 Kind of realized by the time I was 30, the disease isn't so much rare, but the doctors and the technology to diagnose it, was unfortunately rare at the time. 40 00:03:26,744.899 --> 00:03:26,964.899 Right. 41 00:03:26,964.899 --> 00:03:30,104.898 And it's becoming more common, but still not in every single practice. 42 00:03:30,574.898 --> 00:03:35,354.9 And then as far as, Polusid and Keratoconus, they're differing thoughts here. 43 00:03:35,474.9 --> 00:03:37,194.9 Some people think it's a continuum. 44 00:03:37,844.9 --> 00:03:41,714.9 I think that the important thing is that we're going to treat the same way. 45 00:03:42,604.9 --> 00:03:46,294.9 And so we can cross link to strengthen the cornea. 46 00:03:46,344.9 --> 00:03:49,664.899 We can use specialty contact lenses to rehabilitate vision. 47 00:03:50,144.9 --> 00:04:00,229.9 And yes, the designs are different that we use, especially when it comes to scleral lenses, but there are, Ways to treat both that are actually quite similar. 48 00:04:01,19.9 --> 00:04:09,69.899 And then the snowboarding and the low contrast, that was super interesting because I have a lot of patients I'm here in Northern California. 49 00:04:09,259.9 --> 00:04:10,509.899 We're very close to Lake Tahoe. 50 00:04:11,79.899 --> 00:04:17,849.9 So I have a lot of patients who ski a lot and scleral lenses have been so helpful for so many of them. 51 00:04:17,879.9 --> 00:04:22,429.9 But I haven't thought so much about that low contrast situation, which is right on. 52 00:04:22,809.9 --> 00:04:23,149.9 Yeah. 53 00:04:23,209.9 --> 00:04:28,804.9 And, and if you're doing it at a high level, you're in really good critical situations and you're having to make split second decisions. 54 00:04:28,804.9 --> 00:04:38,614.9 And sometimes you get that really flat light if you have functional eyeballs, then you can manage that, but it's hard enough in good light. 55 00:04:38,774.899 --> 00:04:39,854.899 If you don't have the right direction. 56 00:04:39,944.899 --> 00:04:41,564.9 Very dangerous situations too. 57 00:04:42,64.9 --> 00:04:42,574.9 Yeah. 58 00:04:42,964.9 --> 00:04:43,684.9 Yeah, definitely. 59 00:04:43,684.9 --> 00:05:10,989.46163636 Do you have any family history of poor vision or do you personally have any history of allergies or eye rubbing or anything like that? Oh yeah, I was a big time rubber I thought it was cause I grew up on a farm and then I thought it was just dusty and I had eye allergies, but I'd sit there on the couch for like hours and just, Rub my eyes and it was like it never made it better, but you just Couldn't stop, and we tried all kinds of stuff saline and I don't really have that issue anymore. 60 00:05:10,989.56163636 --> 00:05:17,549.46363636 And I wonder if maybe because the scleral is kind of like, they take up so much of my, sorry, dog. 61 00:05:17,899.46363636 --> 00:05:21,159.46363636 They take up so much of the eyeball surface that maybe they're just not noticed. 62 00:05:21,269.46363636 --> 00:05:21,689.46363636 I don't know. 63 00:05:21,739.46363636 --> 00:05:22,529.46363636 We love your dog. 64 00:05:22,629.46363636 --> 00:05:22,979.46363636 Oh, okay. 65 00:05:23,929.46363636 --> 00:05:24,459.46363636 His name's Tiago. 66 00:05:25,19.46363636 --> 00:05:26,169.46363636 We love the podcast too. 67 00:05:26,469.46363636 --> 00:05:34,69.46363636 A lot of people say that getting a diagnosis of keratoconus is a relief, even if it's a condition that they never heard of before. 68 00:05:34,249.46363636 --> 00:05:41,104.46363636 Do you remember how you felt when a doctor finally put a name to your vision symptoms? Sure. 69 00:05:41,124.46363636 --> 00:05:41,334.46363636 Yeah. 70 00:05:41,334.46363636 --> 00:05:48,114.46363636 initially I was terrified because the way that it had been presented to me was just this wildly debilitating thing. 71 00:05:48,394.46363636 --> 00:05:54,204.46263636 And it was like, oh my gosh, what a coincidence, I have this disease as well that was presented as so rare. 72 00:05:54,384.46163636 --> 00:05:55,844.46163636 Initially I think I was shocked. 73 00:05:56,309.46163636 --> 00:05:57,769.46163636 And I couldn't believe it. 74 00:05:57,769.46163636 --> 00:05:59,409.46163636 I called my friends that I used to coach for. 75 00:05:59,409.46163636 --> 00:06:03,489.46163636 I was like, guess what, here I am, you know, um, same boat. 76 00:06:04,169.46063636 --> 00:06:05,599.46213636 And, I started off. 77 00:06:06,639.46213636 --> 00:06:07,569.46213636 Wearing all kinds. 78 00:06:07,569.46213636 --> 00:06:20,99.46163636 I think I've worn every kind of lens there is starting with when they just thought it was a bad astigmatism, all the different Torics and different types of monthly or dailies and eventually they said, we got to put you in our GPS. 79 00:06:20,139.46263636 --> 00:06:27,949.36313636 And that was probably the most miserable two years, for all the reasons we know the tilting and it just always felt like you had sand in your eyes. 80 00:06:27,969.36313636 --> 00:06:31,959.36313636 And so I became one of those people and I'll answer your question about my family too. 81 00:06:32,329.36313636 --> 00:06:34,879.36313636 I started just trying to make it work with glasses. 82 00:06:35,419.36313636 --> 00:06:39,929.36313636 And this was before the Keratoconus diagnosis. 83 00:06:40,239.36313636 --> 00:06:45,659.36413636 I just was squinting through life and I was, still really scared to drive at night. 84 00:06:45,729.36413636 --> 00:06:53,769.36463636 There's so many really sketchy situations where you just can't see for a few seconds, because a car's passing in the oncoming lane. 85 00:06:54,829.36463636 --> 00:06:56,59.36463636 Yeah, really, really scary stuff. 86 00:06:56,89.36463636 --> 00:06:59,659.36463636 And also you just had these headaches from squinting at everything all day. 87 00:06:59,789.36463636 --> 00:07:07,139.36363636 I really feel like, when most of your life, you've had sharp vision, your mental acuity is dependent on it. 88 00:07:07,579.36363636 --> 00:07:10,149.36463636 So you lose that huge data input. 89 00:07:10,879.36463636 --> 00:07:14,929.36463636 system and your thoughts don't feel clear anymore. 90 00:07:15,89.36463636 --> 00:07:16,469.36463636 You feel lethargic. 91 00:07:16,489.36463636 --> 00:07:21,919.36463636 I'd always been this like really high energy, ambitious person, and I just felt lazy and unmotivated. 92 00:07:21,919.36463636 --> 00:07:24,419.36363636 And it really started to affect me at so many levels. 93 00:07:24,759.36463636 --> 00:07:31,759.36463636 And so to get the keratoconus, diagnosis, there was an element of hope, but I didn't know that there was so many great ways to treat it. 94 00:07:31,829.36363636 --> 00:07:39,399.36363636 And like I said, it was one of those milestone moments where you remember everything and leaving the clinic that day. 95 00:07:40,79.36363636 --> 00:07:43,99.36363636 And it was initially in hybrids, but I could see details. 96 00:07:43,99.36363636 --> 00:07:44,589.36363636 I could see leaves on trees. 97 00:07:44,589.36363636 --> 00:07:45,559.36363636 I could see all these things. 98 00:07:45,559.36363636 --> 00:07:47,239.36363636 I didn't have glasses on my face. 99 00:07:47,289.36363636 --> 00:07:51,479.36463636 And I remember welling up and just becoming really emotional right there in the parking lot. 100 00:07:51,489.36463636 --> 00:07:54,549.36463636 Like, Oh my gosh, I never thought I'd see like this again. 101 00:07:55,369.36463636 --> 00:07:56,479.36463636 That's amazing. 102 00:07:56,689.36463636 --> 00:07:57,769.36463636 It's amazing. 103 00:07:57,779.36463636 --> 00:08:12,799.36363636 The leads on trees and just the detail that you can see and we're actually sharing a story this week about a patient who is just looking and staring at the leaves on the trees for like 15 minutes. 104 00:08:12,899.36363636 --> 00:08:13,909.36463636 He was just sitting there. 105 00:08:14,149.36463636 --> 00:08:18,409.36463636 Looking at the leaves on the trees because you could see them and you were so excited. 106 00:08:18,559.36463636 --> 00:08:21,789.36463636 It's crazy, but they're beautiful and you've just been living without them. 107 00:08:21,829.36463636 --> 00:08:27,399.36463636 And, then the other part was that like that mental sharpness started to return and I felt like myself again. 108 00:08:27,539.36463636 --> 00:08:29,419.36463636 It was like, this is so cool. 109 00:08:29,719.36463636 --> 00:08:31,499.36463636 and the hybrids weren't perfect. 110 00:08:31,499.36463636 --> 00:08:32,689.36463636 It weren't a perfect solution. 111 00:08:32,699.36463636 --> 00:08:34,719.36463636 They were the best thing I'd had in a long time. 112 00:08:35,49.36463636 --> 00:08:48,269.36463636 and then I happen to have a friend in Houston where I was living at the time who was in school and called me one day and said, we're doing a study to develop this wave front guided scleral lens. 113 00:08:48,579.36463636 --> 00:08:49,699.36513636 It's a five year study. 114 00:08:49,869.36413636 --> 00:08:51,229.36513636 You gotta come once a week. 115 00:08:51,699.36513636 --> 00:08:53,159.36413636 We'll pay you to do it. 116 00:08:53,289.36413636 --> 00:08:55,69.36313636 And I was like, don't worry about that. 117 00:08:55,69.36313636 --> 00:08:55,579.36313636 Let's do it. 118 00:08:55,579.36313636 --> 00:08:56,419.36313636 let's dive into this. 119 00:08:56,429.36313636 --> 00:08:57,229.36313636 That sounds awesome. 120 00:08:57,749.36313636 --> 00:09:00,339.36313636 And I was resistant because I was like, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 121 00:09:00,339.36313636 --> 00:09:02,209.36313636 Like I'm seeing better than I have in a long time. 122 00:09:02,379.36313636 --> 00:09:03,679.36313636 And she pushed and pushed and pushed. 123 00:09:03,929.36313636 --> 00:09:04,849.36313636 You got to try squirrels. 124 00:09:04,849.36313636 --> 00:09:05,809.36313636 You got to try squirrels. 125 00:09:05,939.36213636 --> 00:09:06,539.36213636 Okay. 126 00:09:06,659.36313636 --> 00:09:09,329.36313636 And I'm so glad I did, except for the fact that. 127 00:09:09,984.36313636 --> 00:09:12,514.36313636 They were even more difficult. 128 00:09:12,544.36313636 --> 00:09:16,44.36313636 I already struggled with insertion with every lens I ever had. 129 00:09:16,624.36313636 --> 00:09:19,854.36313636 And these things were like, that is something. 130 00:09:19,894.36413636 --> 00:09:26,554.36413636 But how do you get these in, which I think is going to lead into lens space here. 131 00:09:26,784.36413636 --> 00:09:27,294.36413636 Yeah. 132 00:09:27,314.36413636 --> 00:09:28,834.36313636 Tell us a little bit more about the study. 133 00:09:28,834.36313636 --> 00:09:32,954.36413636 What did it involve? Five years, once a week? Five years, once a week. 134 00:09:33,4.36413636 --> 00:09:35,354.36413636 Trying on multiple lenses. 135 00:09:35,414.36413636 --> 00:09:41,344.36413636 I've had so much fluorescein in my eyes that like, they should still glow under a black light to this day. 136 00:09:42,694.36413636 --> 00:09:43,524.36313636 Yeah, totally. 137 00:09:43,694.36413636 --> 00:09:51,404.36413636 Every week we would be putting on a variety of different lenses and there was a team of doctors I became, good friends with after five years. 138 00:09:51,754.36413636 --> 00:09:53,414.36413636 Still correspond with some of them. 139 00:09:53,744.36413636 --> 00:10:04,944.36463636 So you'd put on lenses, you would go do a low contrast test, and then you would do the, way front machine, over and over and over again for about an hour every week. 140 00:10:05,344.36463636 --> 00:10:12,549.26563636 One fun memory from that study was on the very first day I was sitting there waiting for something to happen. 141 00:10:14,829.36563636 --> 00:10:19,989.36563636 And I looked at the eye chart and it was one of the ones that start with D A O E G N U S. 142 00:10:20,449.36563636 --> 00:10:22,629.36563636 And I told the doctor, Oh, that's so clever. 143 00:10:22,629.36563636 --> 00:10:27,959.26563636 That's, actually Dow Agnes is, um, it's Latin for the gift of sight the gift of vision. 144 00:10:28,319.26563636 --> 00:10:29,339.26563636 And he says, no way. 145 00:10:29,449.26463636 --> 00:10:30,99.26563636 That's so cool. 146 00:10:30,769.26563636 --> 00:10:36,544.26563636 And then years later, I was talking to him about, did you actually believe me? Cause I completely made that up. 147 00:10:36,584.26563636 --> 00:10:36,994.26563636 I don't know. 148 00:10:37,14.26563636 --> 00:10:39,764.16563636 I don't speak Latin or anything like that. 149 00:10:39,764.26563636 --> 00:10:41,474.26563636 His face went totally blank. 150 00:10:41,524.26563636 --> 00:10:43,544.26463636 And he's like, I've told that to so many people. 151 00:10:47,664.26563636 --> 00:10:50,224.26663636 Well, it's a great group there at the university of Houston. 152 00:10:50,324.26663636 --> 00:10:50,624.26663636 Yeah. 153 00:10:50,624.26663636 --> 00:10:51,419.26663636 They're amazing. 154 00:10:51,419.26663636 --> 00:10:56,394.26663636 I don't know for a lot of like name drop Here, but Dr Chi Nguyen and Dr. 155 00:10:56,754.26663636 --> 00:10:57,274.26663636 Roxana Hamadi. 156 00:10:58,309.26663636 --> 00:11:01,659.16663636 Saw them every single week and they're fantastic, wonderful people. 157 00:11:01,969.16663636 --> 00:11:10,139.16563636 So, I was one of those people that would have a soaked countertop, one of those blue paper bibs, it took so many times, I couldn't do it. 158 00:11:10,149.16563636 --> 00:11:13,499.16563636 I needed to hold my eye open and I needed to have Dr. 159 00:11:13,499.16563636 --> 00:11:15,539.16563636 Hamadi mostly putting these things in. 160 00:11:16,119.16563636 --> 00:11:22,829.16313636 And it was kind of futile because she's not going to be there tomorrow when you have to do this, in your bathroom, you don't have the support there. 161 00:11:23,69.16213636 --> 00:11:24,359.16213636 You're going to have to figure it out. 162 00:11:24,409.16213636 --> 00:11:29,899.16213636 And I'm sure you hear about it all the time where they're like, wow, go punch a hole in a cup and put your little scleral holder in there. 163 00:11:30,444.16213636 --> 00:11:32,424.16213636 Okay, well, all right, that I can do that. 164 00:11:32,474.16213636 --> 00:11:44,694.16213636 And then I was like, I just kept having these ideas of why not make it a little more gentle for your eye? Why not make it something that's really portable, really easy to travel with. 165 00:11:44,754.16113636 --> 00:11:53,394.16113636 Why not have it be something that catches all of that runoff solution? And not make a mess on your countertop every day, not waste so many paper towels. 166 00:11:54,184.16113636 --> 00:12:04,354.16213636 And so I kept tinkering with things and I would bring in my latest contraption because I had these appointments every single week and they mostly just laughed, for the first few years, there was one that was really funny. 167 00:12:04,354.16313636 --> 00:12:11,274.16213636 It was like, it was the cup, right? But I'd cut the bottom off of it and I put it on the top and I'd suspended it by like rubber bands. 168 00:12:11,729.16213636 --> 00:12:18,399.16213636 So that you have almost like this trampoline effect didn't work at all, but it was all because I wanted something that was a little more gentle. 169 00:12:18,449.16213636 --> 00:12:22,319.16213636 And I eventually did figure that out down the line to make it a little nicer to your eye. 170 00:12:23,199.16213636 --> 00:12:29,89.16113636 I understand that you're using a 3d printer to create prototypes of one space. 171 00:12:29,269.16113636 --> 00:12:33,469.16113636 Initially, I 3d printed a whole bunch of different prototypes. 172 00:12:34,89.16113636 --> 00:12:38,219.06113636 3d printings too slow and expensive to do anything at scale. 173 00:12:38,219.06113636 --> 00:12:40,919.06113636 So we injection, uh, everything now. 174 00:12:41,19.06113636 --> 00:12:43,559.06113636 But we use all antimicrobial stuff. 175 00:12:43,589.06013636 --> 00:12:43,979.06013636 Dr. 176 00:12:43,979.06113636 --> 00:12:56,649.06113636 Wynn was like, so adamant that anything I came up with needed to be super easy to sanitize, really, really clean, had to be the right materials, I can get into the design features later. 177 00:12:56,649.06113636 --> 00:13:05,869.06113636 The design features, I actually, I was talking to Mary the other day and I had it on my desk and I was playing with it and talking about it. 178 00:13:05,879.06113636 --> 00:13:09,749.06213636 So tell everyone, I'm curious how you came up with that size. 179 00:13:10,329.06113636 --> 00:13:10,789.06113636 Sure. 180 00:13:10,819.06113636 --> 00:13:16,349.06213636 It just seemed like the perfect size there's just enough room for my hands and I've kind of big hands. 181 00:13:16,679.06213636 --> 00:13:18,919.06213636 it was the right height from the countertop. 182 00:13:18,959.06213636 --> 00:13:20,879.06113636 I like to get my elbows down and a nice. 183 00:13:21,39.06213636 --> 00:13:21,699.06213636 little base. 184 00:13:22,29.06213636 --> 00:13:32,749.06213636 Let me back up a little bit, like years into this study, when I kept bringing these funny things in, they said, you know, there's other inventions that kind of try to do what you're trying to do here. 185 00:13:32,959.06213636 --> 00:13:36,449.06113636 And I was like, why didn't you tell me about them? And they said, well, they're silly. 186 00:13:36,459.06113636 --> 00:13:37,209.06113636 They don't really. 187 00:13:37,994.06113636 --> 00:13:42,954.06113636 Do much more than your cup at home does, but they're hundreds of dollars. 188 00:13:43,24.06113636 --> 00:13:45,274.06113636 They're cost prohibitive for most patients. 189 00:13:45,304.06113636 --> 00:13:59,814.06113636 And they're like, we have a few, and they took me to this like back closet and dusted them off and showed me, so a big thing in my mind was always, how do you make this accessible for anyone? You can't have electronics in this thing because then your production costs skyrocket. 190 00:13:59,814.06113636 --> 00:14:01,764.06113636 You have to ask several hundred dollars for them. 191 00:14:02,244.06113636 --> 00:14:10,932.44518337 You don't want to have to change your batteries on this when you're traveling and that would like pack into a small, profile and really easy to toss in your backpack or something like that. 192 00:14:11,32.44518337 --> 00:14:11,972.44518337 It's very compact. 193 00:14:12,492.44418337 --> 00:14:13,62.44518337 Yeah, for sure. 194 00:14:13,662.44418337 --> 00:14:17,382.44418337 And, and it works without the addition of any electronics too. 195 00:14:17,382.44418337 --> 00:14:23,622.44318337 If you look at that base, the center of that base is elevated, to catch as much ambient light as possible. 196 00:14:23,662.44318337 --> 00:14:24,82.44318337 And. 197 00:14:24,402.44318337 --> 00:14:32,692.44318337 The other part I think that a lot of people don't realize is when you put a lens in it and you fill that lens with solution, you're creating almost like a magnifying glass. 198 00:14:33,442.44318337 --> 00:14:35,962.44318337 And as you get closer to it, it really does magnify anything. 199 00:14:36,202.44218337 --> 00:14:40,242.44318337 So if you're going to shine a bright light through that, it's going to be even more intense. 200 00:14:40,252.44318337 --> 00:14:43,702.44418337 And that's not something I want to do first thing in the morning, generally. 201 00:14:43,722.44418337 --> 00:14:48,852.44418337 So it's actually a lot of light that gets through with lens base, but not an overwhelming amount. 202 00:14:48,962.44418337 --> 00:14:54,462.44418337 And I've done it in dimly lit tents and, no lights on in the bathroom, just a little bit of ambient window light. 203 00:14:54,892.44418337 --> 00:14:56,732.44518337 And, it works beautifully. 204 00:14:57,282.44418337 --> 00:15:09,822.44468337 So, I started 3D printing, And I would send in all these drawings and everybody was like NDA, but they were just, I found this really, really cool group of prototypers in Fort worth. 205 00:15:10,192.44468337 --> 00:15:14,662.44268337 And they had similar, scalability concerns with a lot of them. 206 00:15:14,662.44268337 --> 00:15:19,332.44368337 I came up with some wildly over engineered ideas, six different prototypes. 207 00:15:19,382.44368337 --> 00:15:21,772.44368337 And it was something that I just tinkered with over the years. 208 00:15:21,822.44368337 --> 00:15:23,772.34368337 I didn't have all the time in the world to mess with it. 209 00:15:24,52.44368337 --> 00:15:42,22.44268337 So when I had, a few ideas, I would make some drawings and I'd send them to the lab and then they'd send me some cat images and I'd go, Oh, I think maybe we should tweak this or that, or, Oh, it has these, this sort of frog leg design, these little elbows in it, which, once it was a snap together design, I was like, well, I don't want. 210 00:15:42,522.44268337 --> 00:15:48,362.44268337 The saline to run through those holes, you snapped it into and onto your countertop that kind of defeats one of the value ads. 211 00:15:48,372.44268337 --> 00:15:54,992.44168337 So, we added these little elbows that guides the solution right down into the tray, and keeps that countertop clean. 212 00:15:55,92.44268337 --> 00:15:58,652.44168337 So yeah, 3d printing was a huge resource for the longest time. 213 00:15:58,702.44168337 --> 00:16:00,442.44268337 I got a lot of prototypes that way. 214 00:16:00,807.44268337 --> 00:16:06,807.44268337 And in 2001 I sat back and I thought, I can't think of anything to make this better. 215 00:16:07,447.44268337 --> 00:16:08,507.44268337 I think this is ready. 216 00:16:09,597.44268337 --> 00:16:18,917.44268337 And so I filed for a utility patent, which we received a full utility patent within 14 months on the first pass, which I'm told is unheard of. 217 00:16:19,777.44268337 --> 00:16:36,127.44268337 And, got all set up to manufacture in Hong Kong and, did some fundraising and then I had a year to, get everything straight with the FDA and become a registered medical device, which takes absolutely forever, in that year. 218 00:16:36,897.44268337 --> 00:16:38,387.44268337 I had a lot of friends that wanted to try it. 219 00:16:38,387.44268337 --> 00:16:39,427.44268337 I had my prototype. 220 00:16:39,727.44268337 --> 00:16:43,917.4426834 And I needed it to work for soft lenses too. 221 00:16:44,317.4426834 --> 00:16:50,917.4426834 So I'd spent that time while we're waiting for the FDA, making the necessary tweaks to be able to service soft lenses. 222 00:16:51,607.4426834 --> 00:16:52,947.4426834 And it does, which is really cool. 223 00:16:54,197.4426834 --> 00:16:54,737.4426834 That's awesome. 224 00:16:54,757.4426834 --> 00:16:59,607.4426834 So what are you hearing from customers and doctors who've used the lens base? They love it. 225 00:16:59,647.4426834 --> 00:17:03,517.4426834 From the soft lens side, they just say, wow, it just holds the lens better. 226 00:17:03,817.4416834 --> 00:17:06,687.4416834 I don't personally know other people that use scleral. 227 00:17:06,687.4416834 --> 00:17:12,837.4416834 So I haven't gotten to like really dig into those conversations, but so far the response from the industry has been amazing. 228 00:17:12,997.4416834 --> 00:17:15,487.4416834 I was meeting with a lens specialist the other day, Yep. 229 00:17:16,197.4416834 --> 00:17:20,677.4416834 Here in Denver and he flat out said yeah, every pair of sclerals should come with one of these. 230 00:17:21,97.4416834 --> 00:17:22,927.4416834 This is so obvious this is so cool. 231 00:17:23,757.4416834 --> 00:17:34,62.4416834 There's two lens companies valley Contacts out of Oregon, and then Accu Lens here in Denver who are, promoting it to their entire, doctor and patient base. 232 00:17:34,362.4416834 --> 00:17:39,392.4416834 We're gonna be coex exhibiting, in San Diego in a couple of weeks, Accu Lens and I Oh, wonderful. 233 00:17:40,177.4416834 --> 00:17:40,997.4416834 And ICSC. 234 00:17:41,17.4416834 --> 00:17:41,597.4416834 That's great. 235 00:17:41,667.4416834 --> 00:17:41,957.4416834 Yeah. 236 00:17:41,957.4416834 --> 00:17:49,237.4416834 even from the very beginning, the first time I brought it into an eye clinic because I knew I was gonna be fitting some new sclerals that day. 237 00:17:50,697.4416834 --> 00:17:52,767.4416834 She said, where did you get that? And I said, I made it. 238 00:17:52,777.4416834 --> 00:17:56,447.4416834 And she said, what's our cost? How do we get that? It's just been so cool. 239 00:17:56,447.4416834 --> 00:18:01,187.4411834 Just that this thing you've tinkered with for a decade is all of a sudden something people want to use. 240 00:18:01,227.4411834 --> 00:18:02,567.4411834 And it means the world to me. 241 00:18:02,957.4411834 --> 00:18:04,207.4411834 What an inspiring story. 242 00:18:04,217.4421834 --> 00:18:08,935.3103758 So tell us how we get it, how my patients are interested or doctors are interested. 243 00:18:08,977.3651053 --> 00:18:26,994.7801364 How, how do we get lens space? our goal now is to give that same sense of restored faith to care to Conan's patients, that the right lenses will change your world and you're not going to mind putting them in every day. 244 00:18:27,314.7801364 --> 00:18:29,144.7801364 It's not going to be the worst part of your morning. 245 00:18:29,154.7801364 --> 00:18:30,204.7801364 It's going to be easy. 246 00:18:30,754.7801364 --> 00:18:32,914.7801364 And it's going to make this sustainable in your life. 247 00:18:33,784.7801364 --> 00:18:35,494.7801364 You asked where you could find it. 248 00:18:35,874.7801364 --> 00:18:36,644.7801364 The lens base. 249 00:18:36,874.7801364 --> 00:18:38,724.7791364 com they're available there. 250 00:18:39,64.7801364 --> 00:18:40,514.7801364 They're 35. 251 00:18:40,944.7801364 --> 00:18:47,724.7801364 Well, I think it's great to have a resource to know that we can look on the website and then we'll have a link to that as well. 252 00:18:47,934.7791364 --> 00:18:48,164.7791364 Okay. 253 00:18:49,989.7801364 --> 00:18:50,209.7801364 Yep. 254 00:18:50,319.7801364 --> 00:18:50,579.7801364 Awesome. 255 00:18:50,579.8801364 --> 00:18:52,129.6801364 Yeah. 256 00:18:52,129.7801364 --> 00:18:52,659.7801364 Perfect. 257 00:18:52,659.7801364 --> 00:18:52,849.7801364 Mark. 258 00:18:52,849.7801364 --> 00:19:00,449.7801364 Thank you so much for joining us and inspiring us on the clearly Casey podcast for all of our listeners. 259 00:19:00,469.7791364 --> 00:19:03,219.7791364 Thank you so much for joining us on clearly Casey. 260 00:19:03,579.7801364 --> 00:19:12,799.7801364 Please listen to all the episodes of the clearly Casey podcast on pod bean or your favorite podcast app to subscribe and get future episodes for now. 261 00:19:12,869.7801364 --> 00:19:13,479.7801364 I'm Dr. 262 00:19:13,479.7801364 --> 00:19:14,169.7801364 Melissa Barnett. 263 00:19:14,544.7801364 --> 00:19:16,314.7801364 See you next time on Clearly Casey. 264 00:19:17,364.7801364 --> 00:19:17,724.7801364 Thank you.
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