The fundus camera market is expected to grow from US$ 708.01 million in 2022 to US$ 1,298.25 million by 2030; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2022 to 2028. increase in diabetic retinopathy screening procedures and launches of innovative products are a few factors driving the fundus camera market growth.
Fundus photography is instrumental in the detection and screening of various causes of treatable and preventable blindness, notably DR, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss among Americans aged 65 and more. According to CDC, the geriatric population in the US is anticipated to nearly double from 48 million in 2015 to 88 million in 2050. Nearly 20 million adults in the US face some form of age-related macular degeneration.
DR is a commonly seen complexity in diabetic patients. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), ~537 million adults (20–79 years of age) were living with diabetes in 2021. The same source also reported that the total number of people living with diabetes is estimated to rise to 643 million by 2030. Further, the study (updated in April 2023) by the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) analyzed that annually in the US, ~3.9 million infants are born with retinopathy of prematurity. Moreover, ~14,000 of these are estimated to be affected by this condition and 90% of those affected have only mild disease, and nearly 1,100- 1,500 develop disease severe enough to require medical treatment. Therefore, such a rise in the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity, DR, and age-related macular degeneration in the population contributes to the US fundus camera market growth in the US.
Further, fast product approvals in China to treat macular edema further accelerates the adoption of fundus camera in the Asia Pacific region. For records, Bayer announced approval for Eylea to treat patients suffering from visual impairment to treat macular edema. The approval is for the first product indication for Eylea to be approved by the Chinese regulatory body and the injectable eye drug sold by Regeneron. The approval is used to treat conditions like wet age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, and diabetic macular edema. The aforementioned factors will accelerate the adoption of fundus camera market during the forecast period 2022-2030.
Market Opportunity
Fundoscopy with Smartphones
The evolution of high-resolution smartphone cameras can revolutionize traditional fundus photography. For example, ophthalmologists are bringing innovations in the field of fundoscopy by exploring the possibility of replacing binocular indirect ophthalmoscopes with a smartphone. Smartphone-aided fundoscopy is a high-tech, low-cost imaging alternative that benefits users through the portability of a device. The smartphone camera comes equipped with light sources. Moreover, the device provides ready access to secure networks for data transmission.
Mobile devices integrated with augmented reality create an entirely new fundoscopy experience. Companies in the fundus camera market, in collaboration with MedTech businesses, are working on app-based fundoscopy to simplify the eye examination process. For example, the Ullman Indirect App allows users to control the functionality of the corresponding smartphone camera. Through its advanced features, the app enables a manual focus of the camera and saving of focal points of the eye, manual control of the camera exposure, regulation of the flashlight intensity, rotation of images and videos for documenting the findings in a correct orientation, and the export of high-quality images without the need for a screenshot.
Type-Based Insights
Based on type, the fundus cameras market is segmented as mydriatic fundus camera, non-mydriatic fundus camera, hybrid fundus camera, and ROP fundus camera. The non-mydriatic fundus camera segment held the largest market share in 2022. The mydriatic fundus camera accounted a significant CAGR for the fundus cameras market. A non-mydriatic fundus camera focuses on the high-definition image capturing of the optic disc, retina, and lens that can be achieved through a low-power microscope of the instrument without increasing the pupil size. Compared to the mydriatic fundus camera, one of the most significant advantages of a non-mydriatic fundus camera is its revolutionary upgrade offering bigger and clearer image capturing without pupil dilation. Also, a non-mydriatic fundus camera is patient-friendly as well as eliminates a 30-minute waiting time for pupil dilation and eye adjustment after blinking, which assists ophthalmologists in improving the efficiency of diagnosis.
CX-1 Hybrid Digital Mydriatic/Non-Mydriatic (MYD/NM) Retinal Camera is Canon’s first hybrid camera and a non-mydriatic camera to use Fundus Autofluorescence (FAF) photography. The CX-1 provides five photograph modes—color, red-free, cobalt, fluorescein angiography (FA), and fundus autofluorescence (FAF).
Likewise, a standalone mydriatic fundus camera prototype was successfully developed with a prototype camera capable of operating in a point-and-shoot manner. Also, the mydriatic fundus camera provides automated image focusing and exposure with the image quality of fundus photos comparable to the existing commercial cameras. For example, the adoption of a mydriatic fundus camera is huge for screening patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration easily identified from fundus images.
In October 2020, Volk Optical announced the launch of "The Volk VistaView," a new portable mydriatic retinal camera for fundus imaging. The newly launched product provides high-resolution, all-glass, double aspheric optics through intuitive digital platforms that capture sharp, wide-field images and manages patient data on the device.
Portability-Based Insights
Based on portability, the global fundus cameras market is bifurcated into handheld and tabletop. The tabletop segment accounted for a larger market share in 2022. The handheld segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during 2020–2030. Fundus photography facilitates the detection and screening of various causes of treatable and preventable blindness, notably diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. A handheld camera is a smaller, portable imaging device. This tool is battery-operated and does not need a stand or table to operate. Handheld cameras tend to be more affordable than tabletop cameras. The portability and low cost contribute to the high accessibility of retinal imaging devices. Handheld cameras are used in homes, mobile clinics, and health fairs.
Modern handheld fundus cameras combined with autonomous AI systems are well-suited in DR screening without mydriasis because of the high sensitivity of detection and image quality. However, the specificity of these cameras needs to be improved with better modelling of the data. Volk iNview fundus camera by Mentor, Ohio, US, can be connected with an iPhone 6s/6/5s or iPod Touch (Gen 6) through an app. The Volk Pictor Plus is a non-mydriatic fundus camera with posterior (retinal) and anterior imaging modules; the camera uses a proprietary lens, and the application can be downloaded to take fundus images. Handheld cameras are now emerging as a new low-cost tool for DR screening, which can be conveniently used by patients who may not have access to ophthalmological care.
Application-Based Insights
In terms of application, the fundus cameras market is segmented as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vascular disorders, and others. The diabetic retinopathy segment accounted for the largest fundus cameras market share in 2022. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered to be a disease of epidemic proportions. According to the Diabetes Research Institute, 37.3 million people in the US are currently suffering from diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is among the most significant long-term complications of diabetes mellitus and a leading cause of blindness in individuals of aged 20–74 years. As of 2020, the number of adults in the US suffering from diabetic retinopathy was ~8 million; it is expected to reach 16 million by 2050. It can be proliferative (growing) or nonproliferative (not growing), referring to the development of abnormal blood vessels in the retina. Nonproliferative retinopathy is much more common and may not require treatment. When the regular blood vessels cut off in proliferative retinopathy, aberrant blood vessels begin to form. The proliferative form of retinopathy may cause visual loss. The course of retinopathy from nonproliferative to proliferative phases should be monitored with routine eye exams. Fundus photography is crucial in managing and documenting diabetic eye diseases. Traditionally, fundus photography has been performed using film, but recently, digital fundus photography has gained significant traction. Digital images enable easy and immediate review of images, straightforward image magnification, and ability to easily validate the images.
Food and Drug Administration, American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), and American Hospital Association (AHA) are the primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the fundus camera market.