Oculogica, a medical startup founded by local neurosurgeon Dr. Uzma Samadani, has received FDA approval to market its eye-tracking device, which helps doctors diagnose concussions and other brain injuries.
The company's device, called EyeBox, uses algorithms to analyze eye movements in patients as they watch short videos. The test takes four minutes and aims to help physicians more quickly and objectively diagnose concussions.
Concussions are notoriously difficult to diagnose. In her research, Samadani, who practices at Minneapolis-based Hennepin Healthcare, discovered that normal, healthy people move their eyes differently than those with swelling in their brain. By studying these abnormalities in movement, doctors can find out the location and severity of a brain injury, which is key to determining how it should be treated.
Someone with a concussion can exhibit around 20 potential symptoms. Because of that volume, these symptoms can be difficult to interpret. Another method of diagnosis is through CT scans, which are used to examine acute brain injuries, but concussions don’t show up in these images.
Oculogica has raised funding from several Minnesota angel investor groups, including Sofia Fund, Gopher Angels and Southeast Minnesota Angels, as well as from the Minneapolis Heart Institute.
Samadani's sister, Rosina Samadani, serves as Oculogica's CEO and leads the six-employee company from New York. The company also has an engineering office in New Richmond, Wisconsin, and may expand further into the Twin Cities, the company's CEO told the Biz Journal. She added that Oculogica has raised less than $6 million.
Oculogica will now start a pilot period selling EyeBox to a small number of medical centers. It plans to market the product as an aid in diagnosing the condition of patients between the ages of 5 and 67.
