Key Inventions

Over the past decades of years we developed and invented different techniques and instruments while doing clinical research and or taking care of our patients every day in clinical practice.
The most recent inventions are listed here:

2019 OSDI-6 Questionnaire
One of the most used dry eye questionnaires, the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) is a dry eye questionnaire consisting of 12 Questions. After completion the final score is calculated by a special formula. Over a 2-year period we updated and simplified the OSDI to meet clinicians` needs – they do need an easy, fast and exact dry eye tool.

This resulted in a shorter version consisting of 6 questions and no need of final score calculation via formula by the same predictive ability of dry eye symptoms as of the OSDI. This new OSDI-6 is open to be used by everyone for free.

2013 Dry Eye Tool Box:
After the impressive success of the PULT-Test Software since 2009 this concept was substantially extended. Now containing a Dry Eye Screening module for non-contact lens wearers, naive contact lens wearers and experienced contact lens wearers, plus a Dry Eye Management system and the Symptometer. After having run different pre-tests this will be on the market as an tablet application (android and iOS) next some weeks.


2012 Five Grade Pictorial Meiboscale:
To meet the practitioners interest we developed a 5 grade pictorial grading scale to classify meibomian gland loss. Based on our investigation, this grading scale appears to be superior to the other 4 grade scales in terms of repeatability and accuracy.


2011Computerized Meibomian Gland Grading:
We were first evaluating computerized grading techniques for the classification of meibomian gland morphology in infra-red meibography. Initially this was based on Image J Software (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/) and combined with the PNCM. This combination underwent different development processes and resulted in the launch of first commercial available non-contact infrared meibography system in Europe in September 2011.


2010 Multi-Adjustable Trial Frame:
To facilitate refraction for curved eye glasses in the original frame curve a multi-adjustable trial frame was developed and proven. German Patent DE202011105667


2010 Eye Charts for the iPad: To improve near vision testing we were first having developed near vision charts for the brand new iPad. Since 2011, this APP is via IPRO on the market in numerous languages and covering more than 70 eye tests.  


2010 Portable Non-Contact Infra-Red Meibograph:
The development of a portable non-contact infrared meibograph. The PNCM can be used handheld or with a stand to evaluate meibomian gland morphology non-invasively. Based on this we alos investigated the usefulness of the built-in IR cameras of common ophthalmic instruments for non-contact meibography


2010 Modified Fluorescein Strip:
Investigation and development of a modification technique of standard fluorescein strips to increase repeatability and accuracy of fluorescein instillation and such to improve the measurement of the tear film stability. 


2009 PULT-Test:
One of the most often used software tools assisting the practitioner in the screening of contact lens dry eye patients as well in the prediction of the expected wearing comfort of naive contact lens wearers