The iD2: A Smart Eye Drop Cap Monitor for Eye Drop Adherence

Project Summary/Abstract Most patients with a diagnosis of glaucoma use eye drops to lower intraocular pressure. However, poor adherence to prescribed eye drop regimens can lead to significant loss of vision-related quality of life. The proposal will further develop the iDrop Device (iD2), a device-on-cap electronic platform designed to accurately track when a research participant removes an eye drop bottle cap, wirelessly communicate usage data to a database accessible to researchers, and send on-demand alerts when a medication is due. A device capable of tracking eye drop usage and sending dosage alerts will test the hypothesis that electronic reminders improve medication adherence and help research subjects improve their eye drop taking behavior. While our primary focus is on glaucoma adherence, this device could also benefit those with other chronic eye conditions requiring regular eye drop treatment, such as dry eyes, corneal endothelial disease, eye infections, and uveitis. This Direct Phase II application proposes several improvements through electrical engineering enhancements, software upgrades, and industrial design refinements. These advancements will help develop the next generation of the iD2 device, which will be tested in a clinical trial. The trial will involve glaucoma patients with poor adherence and will evaluate the effectiveness of the iD2 in improving medication adherence, as well as gather variables that predict adherence. By the end of the proposal, we will have a commercially available, universal device that accurately and reliably tracks eye drop usage. The device will be marketed to researchers, pharmaceutical companies, remote patient monitoring companies, health plans, and insurance payers who are interested in enhancing the quality of adherence data, and monitoring eye drop usage remotely. If successful, future versions of the device will be designed and marketed for all patients who need to use eye drops consistently.