Lucas Koelemeijer
The Rotterdam Eye Hospital
The Eye InnovatorsLab: An Innovation Platform For and By People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
My presentation is connected to the following theme
Public Health Systems & Comparative Models
5 key short sentences highlighting the essence of my presentation
- An innovation platform for and by people who are blind or visually impaired
- Bridging the gap between patients, eye care professionals, academia, and companies that develop eye care solutions
- A model for inclusive, practice‑driven innovation and workforce participation
- Strengthening participation, accessibility, and real‑world impact for users and the organizations that support them
- Empowering people who are blind or visually impaired to shape the innovations that affect their daily lives
Summary
This presentation introduces the pilot-development of The Eye InnovatorsLab, an innovation platform created for and by people who are blind or visually impaired. The Lab connects experts by experience, healthcare professionals, patient organisations, industry, and academia to co‑develop practical innovations that solve real‑world challenges. It focuses specifically on the large group of visually impaired people living independently, who often lack access to tailored support and innovation.
The platform aims to bridge the gap between daily functioning and the broader eyecare chain. Co‑creation deliberately extends beyond the eye hospital, targeting challenges in independence, education, employment, and daily life. This wider scope is essential, as in the Netherlands only 39% of the target group have paid employment, leaving many struggling to secure suitable jobs or relying on social benefits.
The Eye innovatorsLab offers participants the chance to demonstrate their capabilities as innovators, gaining guided experience in projectmanagement, UX-research, and prototyping. Through collaboration with partners, the lab also creates pathways into work experience, or further innovation roles. The pilot establishes the collaboration model, builds a diverse participant community, and delivers at least one user‑driven innovation, creating pathways to employment and industry‑supported talent-development. Offering a scalable blueprint for inclusive innovation in public health systems.
The platform aims to bridge the gap between daily functioning and the broader eyecare chain. Co‑creation deliberately extends beyond the eye hospital, targeting challenges in independence, education, employment, and daily life. This wider scope is essential, as in the Netherlands only 39% of the target group have paid employment, leaving many struggling to secure suitable jobs or relying on social benefits.
The Eye innovatorsLab offers participants the chance to demonstrate their capabilities as innovators, gaining guided experience in projectmanagement, UX-research, and prototyping. Through collaboration with partners, the lab also creates pathways into work experience, or further innovation roles. The pilot establishes the collaboration model, builds a diverse participant community, and delivers at least one user‑driven innovation, creating pathways to employment and industry‑supported talent-development. Offering a scalable blueprint for inclusive innovation in public health systems.