Ageing populations drive ophthalmic disease strain on APAC healthcare

Chronic vision conditions are also adding pressure on hospitals and clinics.

Ophthalmic diseases are increasingly straining healthcare systems in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region due to ageing populations and chronic vision conditions, according to GlobalData.

The APAC ophthalmic devices market is projected to grow at a 2.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2026 to 2036.

The region accounted for about 30% of the global ophthalmic devices market in 2025, driven by better access to eye care, improved infrastructure, higher surgical volumes, and wider adoption of modern diagnostic and surgical technologies.

Pandorum Technologies has partnered with Nucelion Therapeutics, a CRDMO and subsidiary of India’s Bharat Biotech, to expand manufacturing of exosome-based therapies for ocular diseases.

The collaboration aims to meet rising regional demand for next-generation biologic treatments.

“As biologics and regenerative therapies progress toward wider clinical use, the availability of scalable and compliant manufacturing infrastructure becomes increasingly important,” said Divya Soni, medical devices analyst at GlobalData. “Strengthening regional production capabilities in APAC could help reduce the development bottlenecks while improving access to advanced ocular therapies.”

The initial focus is on serious ocular conditions, including ocular surface injuries and inflammatory corneal diseases such as Stevens–Johnson syndrome and neurotrophic keratitis, which often cause chronic pain and vision loss.

Pandorum also sees potential for its exosome platform in other inflammation-driven and degenerative conditions.