When Barry Linder, MD, was an ophthalmologist with Kaiser Permanente, he saw a familiar pattern. Patients with dry eye disease usually had Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). They were advised to place a wet warm washcloth over the eyelids twice a day. They’d inevitably abandon the protocol after a few days.

Thinking there had to be a better way, he developed the EyeGenie, a simple but effective eye mask that delivers continuous heat for up to 15 minutes.

For patients with moderate to severe dry eye, he developed the Eye Lipid Mobilizer (ELM), a device so effective that podcast host Paul Karpecki, OD, says it has “the most potential of any in the field of in-office procedures.”

Dr. Linder, who founded Eyedetec Medical to develop and commercialize these products, says ELM embodies the following characteristics:

• It’s convenient (Patients can use it on their own after one in-office visit.)
• It’s affordable
• It’s effective

ELM combines vibration, heat, and neuromodulation to decrease tear evaporation and to induce expression of oil from the meibomian glands. Bluetooth connectivity enables remote therapeutic monitoring.

ELM is designed to be used in tandem with eye drops and other treatments. Dr. Linder says Eyedetec is currently preparing its FDA 510(K) submission and hopes to receive clearance by the end of this year.

Listen to the podcast today to discover:

• Why Dr. Linder became an ophthalmologist and how his career evolved from clinical practice to entrepreneurship.
• Advice for ophthalmologists who want to transition into founding and leading a company.
• The key ingredients that enabled Dr. Linder to move from idea to FDA-cleared product.
• His approach to business, which runs contrary to the “fail fast” model common among start-ups.
• How the Eye Lipid Mobilizer induces liquefaction, mobilization, and expression in patient with moderate to severe dry eye disease.

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