Novartis launches interactive Retina App

Basel, Switzerland-To raise awareness of retinal disease, Novartis has launched a fully interactive Facebook app, “Retina App” on World Sight Day October 10, 2013. The app, part of the “Set Your Sights” campaign, simulates retinal disease by illustrating the user’s journey with a highly realistic view of the possible impact of vision loss on their daily lives.

The app is geared to encourage patients with retinal diseases, such as wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, retinal vein occlusion, and choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia, to engage with vision loss and experience what it means to live with a sight-diminishing condition. Users of the app will be presented with a fully tailored, through-the-lens view of their own photos and friends video experience that is a highly realistic view of what their life with retinal disease could be like.

The “Set Your Sights” campaign was mounted in response to the “2020 Vision Report” from the World Health Organization that concluded that nearly 80% of global blindness is preventable if managed correctly.

“As the global leader in the field of retinal disease, Novartis is proud to support World Sight Day by creating further dialogue among people living with low-vision conditions and the wider community, generating an environment of understanding and tolerance,” said David Epstein, head of the pharmaceuticals division, Novartis Pharma AG. “This is an important initiative in the pharmaceutical environment, reflecting our focus to always put the patient first.”