Société Française d’Ophtalmologie

What Société Française d’Ophtalmologie does

Société Française d'Ophtalmologie is the legal entity associated with DMLAInfo.fr, a free French-language patient education platform focused on Age-Related Macular Degeneration (DMLA). The platform is developed, maintained, and published by Novartis Pharma S.A.S., the French operating subsidiary of Novartis AG (SIX: NOVN / NYSE: NVS), with Thibaut Victor-Michel serving as President of the subsidiary and responsible publisher of the website. DMLAInfo.fr addresses a disease that affects nearly 1 million people in France and is the leading cause of visual impairment among people over 50 in industrialized countries, with approximately 15% of those over 80 presenting severe forms. The site's core assets are educational — structured sections on understanding DMLA, symptom recognition, treatment options (notably anti-VEGF intravitreal injections), diagnostic procedures, daily living adaptations, financial aid information, and caregiver rights — supplemented by expert video content, real patient testimonials (Jeanne & Jean, Colette & Bernard, Marc & Michelle), and downloadable resources including the 'Mon Partenaire DMLA' booklet and the Amsler Grid self-monitoring tool.

The product surface also includes two mobile applications distributed under the platform: ViaOpta Daily, which uses image recognition and voice description to assist patients with daily visual tasks, and ViaOpta Sim, which simulates DMLA symptoms to help caregivers understand the patient experience. The platform extends into awareness and community engagement through the 'Dans Tes Yeux' immersive photography exhibition created by photographer Ambroise Tézenas, comprising 30 photographs of three DMLA patients and their caregivers. Operational scope is restricted to France and French overseas departments, with no commercial products or services sold and no registration required for access.

From a business model perspective, DMLAInfo.fr is not a revenue-generating entity. It is a non-commercial patient education and disease-awareness asset of Novartis Pharma S.A.S., strategically aligned with the parent's ophthalmology franchise (including anti-VEGF therapies). Value is captured indirectly through brand reinforcement, patient engagement that supports therapy adherence, and positioning relative to competitor treatments. Partnerships with patient associations — Association DMLA (helpline, regional antennas, volunteer correspondents, research funding) and Retina France (CERTO research support, quarterly magazine, low-vision aids network) — provide distribution reach into the patient community. There is no evidence of independent funding rounds, M&A activity, paid customer segments, or pricing mechanics; the platform functions as a corporate marketing and CSR asset within the Novartis Group's French operations rather than a standalone commercial business.

Name

Société Française d’Ophtalmologie

Legal name

Novartis Pharma S.A.S.

Website

https://dmlainfo.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DMLAInfo.fr is a free French-language patient education platform operated by Novartis Pharma S.A.S. that provides educational content, downloadable guides, and companion mobile apps about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (DMLA) for diagnosed patients, their caregivers, and the over-50 population in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Education / Ophthalmology Information Resources

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Low Vision & Assistive Vision Devices (Magnifiers, Electronic Video Magnifiers, Wearable Vision Aids) (HLAHAJAN)

Keywords

• Patient education
• Ophthalmology resources
• Macular degeneration information
• Caregiver support
• Disease awareness

Headquarters

HQ city

Rueil-Malmaison

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

dmlainfo.fr is a free French-language patient education platform that provides comprehensive information about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (DMLA), including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, daily living tips, and caregiver resources. It is operated by Novartis Pharma S.A.S. and offers complementary digital tools such as the ViaOpta Daily and ViaOpta Sim mobile applications, a downloadable Mon Partenaire DMLA booklet, an Amsler Grid self-monitoring tool, and the Dans Tes Yeux photo exhibition, all aimed at French patients, caregivers, and the general public over 50.

Product overview

The dmlainfo.fr platform is an informational patient resource website about DMLA (Dégénérescence Maculaire Liée à l'Âge) developed by Novartis Pharma SAS. It provides educational content including a downloadable patient guide (Mon Partenaire DMLA), self-monitoring tools (Amsler Grid), and two mobile applications—ViaOpta Daily and ViaOpta Sim—designed by Novartis Pharma AG to assist patients with daily activities and help understand the condition. The site also features an immersive photography exhibition called 'Dans Tes Yeux' and aggregates support from patient associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DMLA Info (dmlainfo.fr): A Novartis patient information website dedicated to DMLA (Age-Related Macular Degeneration), providing educational content, patient testimonials, a downloadable patient guide ('Mon Partenaire DMLA'), and a virtual photography exhibition ('Dans Tes Yeux') to help patients and caregivers understand and live with DMLA.

Products and services

• DMLAInfo.fr website Free French-language patient education website providing comprehensive information about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (DMLA), including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, daily living tips, caregiver resources, and patient testimonials for French patients, caregivers, and the general public over 50.
• Mon Partenaire DMLA booklet Downloadable guide available on the dmlainfo.fr website offering information and support for DMLA patients and their caregivers.
• Amsler Grid Self-monitoring grid tool available on the dmlainfo.fr website that allows patients to detect and track vision changes at home, helping identify potential symptoms of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
• ViaOpta Daily mobile app Mobile application developed by Novartis Pharma AG that helps visually impaired users, including DMLA patients, identify everyday objects and items using image recognition and voice control.
• ViaOpta Sim mobile app Mobile application developed by Novartis Pharma AG that simulates the visual experience of DMLA patients, helping family members, caregivers, and the broader public understand the daily visual challenges of the condition.
• Dans Tes Yeux photo exhibition Immersive photo exhibition presented on the dmlainfo.fr website that uses photographs to illustrate the experience of living with Age-Related Macular Degeneration, raising awareness among the general public and supporting patients emotionally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Treatment with anti-VEGF can stabilize or improve visual acuity in wet DMLA patients
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association DMLAcoreOthersPatient association dedicated to supporting, listening to, informing, and fighting against DMLA. Provides multiple services including monthly antennas across France, a toll-free helpline, volunteer correspondents who are DMLA patients themselves, quarterly newsletters in large print with audio versions, financial support for DMLA research, and participation in public policy advocacy. Novartis supports this association as part of the DMLA awareness campaign.
• Retina FrancecoreOthersAssociation dedicated to defeating diseases of vision, with one of its priorities being the promotion of research through significant funding, including support for CERTO (Centre d'Explorations et de Ressources Thérapeutiques en Ophtalmologie), the first laboratory dedicated to researching treatments for macular degenerations. Provides patient information, social assistance, quarterly magazine 'Le Rétino', volunteer correspondents, Retina Opticians (OR) collective for visual aids, a shop for visually impaired daily objects, and annual 'Vision et Recherche' day.
• Ambroise TézenasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional photographer who created the 'Dans Tes Yeux' immersive photo exhibition documenting DMLA patients' lives. Began his career in London and Paris as a photojournalist, collaborating regularly with international magazines including New York Times Magazine, AD Magazine, and W Magazine. The exhibition consists of 30 photographs revealing the effects of DMLA and the central role of caregivers in patients' daily lives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Bayer (Ophthalmology): Co-developer of Eylea (aflibercept), the leading anti-VEGF therapy competing with Novartis's Lucentis. Bayer runs comparable AMD patient education and adherence programs globally, making it a direct competitor in ophthalmology patient engagement.
• Novartis AG: Parent company of Novartis Pharma S.A.S., the entity operating DMLAInfo. Novartis is a global pharmaceutical leader with significant ophthalmology franchises (Lucentis, Beovu) and comparable patient-education programs for other therapeutic areas.
• Roche: Major ophthalmology player (through the Genentech/Roche portfolio) and historically involved in anti-VEGF therapeutics. Roche operates similar patient support and disease-education programs in chronic disease areas including retinal conditions.
• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: Developer of Eylea (with Bayer) and a leading player in retinal disease treatment. Regeneron invests in patient education and adherence support for AMD, comparable to DMLAInfo's role supporting anti-VEGF therapies.
• EssilorLuxottica: Global leader in ophthalmic lenses, frames, and low-vision assistive devices. Operates in the downstream vision-care ecosystem serving the same low-vision and AMD-affected patient population that DMLAInfo addresses through education.
• AbbVie (Allergan Aesthetics/Eye Care): Through its Allergan heritage, AbbVie is a major player in eye care and develops AMD-related therapeutics. Operates patient support and education programs in ophthalmology that are functionally comparable to DMLAInfo.

Emerging players

• MyHealthTeams: Operates condition-specific social networks and patient communities (including for chronic conditions and vision-related topics). A comparable digital patient-engagement and disease-education platform model, though broader and English-language focused.

Regional players

• Doctolib: France's leading digital health platform for appointment booking and patient services. While broader in scope (not AMD-specific), Doctolib represents an adjacent French digital health ecosystem player where patients also access ophthalmology information and care.

Direct peers

• Association DMLA: Direct partner of the platform; a French patient association dedicated to supporting, informing, and advocating for DMLA patients. Provides helplines, support groups, and newsletters that complement DMLAInfo's digital education mission.
• Retina France: Direct partner of the platform; a French association focused on retinal diseases including macular degeneration. Funds research (notably CERTO), provides patient information, and supports visual aids, operating in the same patient-support ecosystem as DMLAInfo.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7aise-d%E2%80%99ophtalmologie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Société Française d’Ophtalmologie