Alexandra Mazilu
Introduction
The Arclight is an innovative, low-cost ophthalmoscope and otoscope designed to improve access to diagnostic eye and ear care worldwide. Traditional ophthalmoscopes are expensive, fragile, and require battery changes, making them impractical in many low-resource settings. The Arclight addresses these barriers while offering a practical solution for both clinicians in the UK and healthcare workers globally.
Design and Features
The Arclight is compact and portable, roughly the size of a pen and weighs less than 20 grams. It is solar powered, allowing it to charge under sunlight or even indoor lighting. Its dual functionality enables use as both an ophthalmoscope and an otoscope, and it includes an integrated loupe and clip-on lens for anterior segment examination. The device has 3 modes; allowing the user to tailor the device to preferred use (e.g., eye specialist mode where ophthalmic functions come on first). Priced at £60 in the UK (with lower pricing in low-income countries), the Arclight is significantly more affordable than conventional ophthalmoscopes, making it accessible to a wide range of healthcare providers and trainees.
Applications in Global Health
The Arclight has revolutionized access to diagnostic care in low and middle-income countries. For healthcare workers in rural areas, it provides a reliable means of detecting sight and hearing threatening conditions. The device facilitates early detection of conditions such as cataract, trachoma, and otitis media, by enabling non-specialist healthcare workers, such as primary healthcare workers and nurses, to screen for these diseases (1). The World Health Organisation have included the Arclight ophthalmoscope in its most recent recommendations for eye examinations in the newborn (2). This is the first time that eye examinations have been recommended in low resource settings (3). The Arclight is also carried in frontline medical kits of Ukrainian armed-forces medics to deliver eye and ear care, showing its use in the most challenging environments(3).
Role in Medical Education
For foundation doctors and trainees, the Arclight offers an accessible, hands-on tool to practice fundoscopy and ear examinations. Its lightweight and simple design encourages repeated practice. In addition, it is easier to use than a traditional ophthalmoscope and has a better field of view which makes it a convenient device for beginners to learn the technique of direct ophthalmoscopy (4). Trainees can carry the device during clinical rotations, use it in simulation-based learning, or employ it in bedside teaching, enhancing confidence and skill development in clinical examination.
Conclusion
The Arclight demonstrates how innovative, simple design can bridge gaps in healthcare accessibility. The device’s affordability, accessibility, and ease of use make it an excellent tool for education and frontline care. For foundation doctors, it provides a practical means of developing essential clinical skills. For global health, it
transforms care delivery by bringing diagnostic capability to communities where traditional resources are scarce.
References
- Malik ANJ, Mnedeme GF, Iriya N, Bahati P, Marealle H, Blaikie A, et al. Evaluation of primary healthcare worker training to screen children under 5 years of age with a low-cost alternative to the direct ophthalmoscope, the ‘Arclight’, as part of the Integrated Management of Newborn and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) programme in Tanzania. BMJ Paediatrics Open. 2025;9(1):e003520.
- WHO. WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience. 2022 [Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240045989.
- The Arclight Project: In the News The University of St Andrews [Available from]https://medicine.st-andrews.ac.uk/arclight/news/.
- Mohana Kuppuswamy P, Ibrahim F, Eugene A, Vasudevan L, editors. Comparison between the Arclight Ophthalmoscope and a standard handheld direct ophthalmoscope: a clinical study. ProcSPIE; 2018.