Caterna Vision

What Caterna Vision does

Caterna Vision GmbH is a Potsdam-based digital health company that has developed a CE-certified, Class 1 medical device (under EU MDR) for the treatment of amblyopia (lazy eye) in children aged 4–12, with extensions for adolescent and adult self-payers. The therapy is a 90-day web-based program delivered through any standard browser on a PC, laptop, or tablet, combining the child's standard occlusion (eye-patching) therapy with daily 30–45 minute sessions of nine gamified visual exercises. Its differentiating mechanism is the patented FAVAS (Focal Ambient Visual Acuity Stimulation) technology, which embeds sinusoidal wave patterns in game backgrounds to reactivate neural connections between the brain and the amblyopic eye. The technology was developed at the Technical University of Dresden and is supported by a peer-reviewed clinical study (Januschowski et al., N=105) published in Acta Ophthalmologica showing a +1.4 visual acuity line improvement after three months versus occlusion alone.

Caterna operates a hybrid go-to-market model. In Germany — its primary market — the therapy is prescribed by over 250 ophthalmological practices and eye clinics, reimbursed by 20+ major statutory health insurance companies through selective contracts processed via the billing partner CONVEMA Abrechnungsdienstleister. A free integrated telemedicine consultation pathway enables patients to obtain a prescription remotely. Internationally, the company sells directly to consumers through country-specific storefronts in the UK (£345), Poland (€380), and Spain (€345) on a one-time 90-day license basis, with an optional 30-day continuation therapy (Anschlusstherapie) at €100. Marketing is conducted through Google AdWords, the company's Facebook presence, content/SEO on its multilingual website, earned media (Gründerszene, Handelsblatt, VC-Magazin), and healthcare professional referrals. The company is led by Managing Director Dr. Ron Lehnert and was originally founded by Sascha Seewald and Johannes Rosler; it remains privately held and very lean at 1–10 employees, with disclosed funding limited to a 2017 round from Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg and a Companisto crowdfunding participation.

Name

Caterna Vision

Legal name

Caterna Vision GmbH

Website

https://caterna.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Caterna Vision GmbH is a Potsdam-based digital health company offering a CE-certified, browser-delivered 90-day amblyopia therapy for children aged 4–12, using patented FAVAS visual stimulation technology developed at the Technical University of Dresden, reimbursed by 20+ German health insurers and sold direct-to-consumer in the UK, Poland, and Spain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Health / Pediatric Amblyopia Treatment Software

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Ophthalmology & Orthoptics Devices (Amblyopia Therapy, Strabismus Measurement & Treatment) (HLAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Digital health therapy
• Amblyopia treatment
• Vision training software
• Occlusion therapy support
• Medical device software

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Consumer Therapy Sales: One-time purchase of 90-day therapy program directly from website. Customers can also purchase 30-day continuation therapy packages. Pricing varies by region (UK: £345, Poland: €380).
2. Health Insurance Reimbursement: Therapy covered by over 20 major German health insurance companies through selective contracts. Prescription-based reimbursement pathway via telemedicine center or directly prescribing ophthalmologists.
3. Telemedicine Consultations: Free phone consultations with telemedicine doctors to assess patient eligibility and prescribe therapy when health insurance is available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Caterna Vision sells a web-based digital therapy program (Caterna Sehschulung) that supplements standard occlusion (eye-patching) therapy for children with amblyopia (lazy eye) aged 4-12. The therapy uses patented FAVAS (Focal Ambient Visual Acuity Stimulation) sinusoidal wave patterns embedded in HTML5 games, delivered via browser on PC, laptop, or tablet for 30-45 minutes daily over a 90-day course. The product is CE-certified as a Class 1 medical device under MDR and is reimbursed by 20+ German health insurers.

Product overview

Caterna Vision offers a digital amblyopia (lazy eye) therapy platform consisting of the core 90-day Caterna Sehschulung vision training program, the follow-up 30-day Anschlusstherapie, and an online vision test tool (FrACT10). The therapy uses patented FAVAS (Focal Ambient Visual Acuity Stimulation) technology, combining computer games with sinusoidal pattern stimulation to treat amblyopia in children aged 4-12 years alongside occlusion therapy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Caterna Sehschulung: 90-day web-based vision training therapy for amblyopia treatment
• Caterna Anschlusstherapie

Products and services

• Caterna Sehschulung (90-day vision training) 90-day online vision therapy program for amblyopia (lazy eye) treatment in children aged 4-12, combining standard occlusion therapy with computer-based visual exercises using patented FAVAS (Focal Ambient Visual Acuity Stimulation) sinusoidal wave patterns embedded in HTML5 games. Delivered via browser on PC, laptop, or tablet for 30-45 minutes daily. CE-certified Class 1 MDR medical device. Includes 9 different games with varying difficulty levels and integrated FrACT10 online vision testing.
• Caterna Anschlusstherapie (30-day continuation therapy) 30-day follow-up continuation therapy for patients who have completed the initial Caterna Sehschulung, allowing continued visual training to maintain or further improve visual acuity. Priced at €100 for a 30-day extension; available in 30, 60, or 90-day extension packages.
• FrACT10 Online Vision Test Free standalone online visual acuity test (FrACT10) that patients can use to monitor vision improvements during and after Caterna therapy. Accessible at sehtest.caterna.de as a self-service tool.

Quantifiable outcome

• Visual acuity improvement of +1.4 lines after 3 months compared to occlusion-only therapy (clinical study N=105)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CONVEMA AbrechnungsdienstleistercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBilling service provider handling selective contract settlements for health insurance reimbursements. Ophthalmologists must be enrolled in CONVEMA selective contracts to prescribe Caterna for insurance reimbursement.
• Technical University of DresdencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner where FAVAS technology was scientifically developed. Clinical trials conducted in collaboration with university-affiliated researchers and ophthalmologists.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AmblyoPlay: Finland-based vision training software that uses game-based exercises to treat amblyopia and other binocular vision disorders. Directly comparable as a software-based, home-delivered digital vision therapy competing for the same pediatric amblyopia patient population.
• NovaSight: Israeli digital eye-care company developing vision-tracking-based therapies for amblyopia and other pediatric vision disorders. Directly comparable to Caterna as a software-delivered, clinically validated digital therapy targeting the same amblyopia population.
• CureSight: Israel-based (Tarsius Pharma-adjacent) developer of an eye-tracking based digital amblyopia treatment. Competes directly with Caterna in the digital amblyopia therapy category with a similar home-based, device-agnostic delivery model.
• Luminopia: US-based developer of an FDA-approved dichoptic VR therapy for pediatric amblyopia. Closely comparable business model — digital, clinically validated amblyopia treatment positioned as an alternative or supplement to occlusion therapy.
• Vivid Vision: US-based VR vision therapy platform treating amblyopia, strabismus, and convergence insufficiency. Closely comparable to Caterna as a digitally delivered vision therapy, though it leans on VR hardware versus Caterna's browser-based approach.
• Bynocs: India-based binocular vision therapy software platform treating amblyopia and other conditions through structured digital exercises. Directly comparable to Caterna in offering clinic-prescribed, home-delivered digital vision therapy for amblyopia.

Broad incumbents

• EssilorLuxottica: Global leader in ophthalmic lenses and vision care with deep relationships across ophthalmology and optometry channels. Comparable as a broad incumbent that controls the downstream vision-care channel through which digital therapies like Caterna are prescribed.
• Novartis (Vision Care / eye-care pharmaceuticals): Global pharmaceutical and vision-care incumbent with extensive ophthalmology portfolio. Comparable as a large incumbent in the broader ophthalmology space whose eye-care franchise could credibly enter or acquire digital amblyopia therapy.
• HOYA Vision Care: Global ophthalmic lens and vision-care company with adjacent investments in myopia management (e.g., MiyoSmart). Comparable as a broad incumbent positioned at the intersection of optical products and digital / specialty vision therapy that could expand into amblyopia digital therapeutics.

Emerging players

• Revita Vision: Early-stage digital therapeutics player focused on neurological and ophthalmic rehabilitation. Adjacent to Caterna in vision-rehabilitation digital therapy, with partial overlap in digital stimulation-based approaches for visual disorders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/caterna.sehschule
• Xx.com/cat_erna
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caterna

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caterna Vision