Cylite – the Australian manufacturer of hyperparallel optical coherence tomography (HP-OCT) – has been acquired by Alcon.
The award-winning HP-OCT creates true volumetric OCT images of the anterior and posterior segments, scanning the eye with 1,008 simultaneous, parallel beamlets in a series of snapshot captures, and achieving scanning speeds of over 300,000 scans per second.
HP-OCT images accurately define the topography and tomography of ocular surfaces, including the cornea, and can be used in contact lens fitting, including orthokeratology.
Generating highly precise corneal topography maps, it also allows the user to view how the contact lens sits on the eye using its 360° radial slice.
PreMO (predicting myopia onset and progression) software has been integrated into the HP-OCT since 2024. Developed by world renowned expert, Professor James Wolffsohn from Aston University in the United Kingdom, the app presents axial length for individual patients against predictive growth curves, as well as predicting at what age they will become myopic and how fast they will progress.
“We are thrilled that the global leader in eye care sees the immense potential of our cutting-edge technology for whole-eye OCT imaging and measurement diagnostics.”
Awarded
In 2020, Cylite’s HP-OCT was recognised as the best Engineering project of 2020 by Engineers Australia and went on to win Australia’s highest engineering honour; the Sir William Hudson award. At that time the judges described the HP-OCT as “a remarkable piece of equipment” and one that “demonstrates the profound impact biomedical engineering can have on society”.
The judges also praised the equipment for its ability to incorporate the modern principals of health and safety, ethical operations, and environmental outcomes to benefit the user”.
Cylite was founded in 2013 by Australian inventor and entrepreneur Dr Steve Frisken and his brother Grant Frisken, along with Trevor Anderson, and Dr Simon Poole. Dr Frisken was Chief Executive Officer until 2022 when Kylee Hall, then VP Sales and Marketing, stepped into the position, tasked with upscaling the business.
While the Australian team remains tight-lipped about the acquisition, an online statement said, “We are excited to announce that we have been acquired by Alcon, the global leader in eye care”.
“We are thrilled that the global leader in eye care sees the immense potential of our cutting-edge technology for whole-eye OCT imaging and measurement diagnostics.”
