Tech Era, a technology-based social enterprise in Ghana, and Plano Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based healthtech start-up, have inked a Memorandum of Understanding to address the growing problem of myopia (short-sightedness) in Africa.

Plano will introduce Plano’s easy-to-use, innovative, and science-based technological solutions to children and families in Africa to keep them safe online and their eyes healthy, with a focus on myopia. The Plano application, which helps encourage behaviour that is protective for myopia, is now available on all smartphones and tablets in Ghana, Africa.   

Plano was the first spin-off from the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) - Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) Ophthalmic Technologies Incubator Programme. Plano leverages mobile application, the online eye health booking system, planoEyecheck, and its global eye health education-based website. The science-based Plano application, already patented in Singapore and Japan, has been adopted by more than 500,000 parents.  

Tech Era is a social enterprise that is accelerating development in Africa in an inclusive way. It creates technology, facilitates strategic partnerships, and designs sustainable intervention programs for vulnerable populations. Tech Era’s is ensuring that children and parents in Africa can have access to Plano's products and services to help keep them safe online and their eyes healthy. 

Through this partnership, Tech Era and Plano will continue to work together to address the growing public health concern of myopia on the African Continent by

• developing a sustainable model for myopia education and awareness initiatives that are tailored for families, teachers, and other important stakeholders in Africa

• driving the uptake and engagement of Plano’s science-based technological solutions to mitigate the risk factors for myopia, with a focus on better managing the use of digital devices in children in Africa.