Waldo Announces the Acquisition of Placid0, Maker of Eye Assessment App

Waldo announces the acquisition of Placid0, maker of EASY, an eye assessment system mobile application.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

The acquisition is the next step in Waldo’s movement to make eye care an essential part of everyday life, with both companies and the app focused on closing the data gap between patients and their eye care professionals, according to a company news release.

Led by Darius Moshfeghi, MD, Chief of the Retina Division at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, and Zach Bodnar, MD, a Stanford-trained retina specialist, Placid0 has created EASY, a technology that addresses all aspects of eye health: vision, quality of life, and objective assessments of eye function. Dr. Moshfeghi will also join Waldo as Chief Medical Advisor, along with Mark Blumenkranz, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at Stanford University.

“We’re thrilled to have acquired Placid0,” said Ashleigh Hinde, founder and CEO of Waldo. “The technology that Placid0 developed is a truly unique mobile platform to assess ocular conditions unlike others on the market. Waldo was created to be a trusted eye care brand for both wearers and optometrists, and this app allows us to enhance connectivity and communication between the two. Through this platform, we aim to spearhead change, and inspire and spread positive vision for all.”

This app-based connectivity strengthens Waldo's role within the eye care system, working closely with optometrists, eye doctors and in-store opticians. Now, in addition to their contacts, blue light glasses and hydration drops, and the doctor partnership program, Waldo is providing a product that will objectively measure the cornea through a mobile device, without relying on the patient or the use of heavy and expensive equipment. Instead, EASY offers the potential to rapidly assess comfort, measure metrics for dry eye and thyroid eye disease, discover any warping due to the use of contacts, allow for patient monitoring in the office and at home, and much more. While initially this technology will be exclusive to eye care professionals, the app will eventually be available to Waldo subscribers and general consumers to take an active role in their eye health, according to Waldo.

“Waldo is a champion of positive vision, seeing and creating a better future for the eye care industry,” said Moshfeghi. “With their distribution and established network, we are excited to unveil our mobile technology and connect consumers and eye care professionals without friction. While ophthalmologists can identify and treat eye diseases earlier and more effectively than ever before, these advances are meaningless if issues go undiagnosed.”

In addition, the mobile platform reinforces Waldo’s mission to end avoidable blindness by working with relevant partners and charities to revolutionize the industry. This technology will also build on Waldo’s partnership with Sightsavers, an organization working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with sight disabilities, with a tangible product that can promote universal eye care accessibility throughout the developing world. Currently through their Buy One, Give Vision program, Waldo funds sight correcting procedures in some of the poorest regions of the world, helping to build stronger communities. EASY will physically bring eye care into the field.

Waldo acquired Placid0 in an all stock deal. For more information, please visit hiwaldo.com.