Dr Rajan Bhojwani, a 48-year-old consultant ophthalmic surgeon, has created an ingenious solution to this everyday annoyance. His invention, SeeTheTape, involves wrapping sticky tape around a dark-coloured cardboard core instead of the conventional white one. This subtle change makes finding the tape’s end effortless, even for those with limited vision.
Rajan, a father of two, was inspired by a technique he regularly employs in his work as an eye surgeon. The method, of examining fine scratches on the eye, uses reflected light against the dark background of the pupil instead of the brightly cioloured iris. He realised that the same principle could be applied to sticky tape—by mounting the tape on a dark roll, the end becomes instantly visible, eliminating the need for frustrating searches.
The idea first took root while he was watching The Worst Witch with his children, Laranya, 14, and Pranaya, 10. One scene in the show involved a spell to find the end of sticky tape, sparking Rajan's curiosity. The concept was further reinforced during a conversation with a partially sighted patient, who presented him with a Christmas gift in 2019, leading to a discussion about the difficulties in finding the tape’s end.
After consulting with a patent lawyer and creating prototypes, Rajan's SeeTheTape is now available for purchase. The product has been scientifically tested and has undergone market research by members of the Partially Sighted Society, proving its effectiveness in making the end of the tape more visible.
'When using the roll, you can clearly see the edge of the tape on the black background', Rajan proudly states, ‘This is one of the most common problems in the world—and I’ve fixed it! It’s such a simple idea but will significantly improve people’s experiences with sticky tape. For those with visual impairment who struggle even more to see the tape’s end, (even from just misplaced reading glasses!) this will be hugely beneficial.’
Thanks to Rajan’s invention, the world no longer needs to shout in frustration while wrestling with sticky tape. What was once an everyday nuisance has been transformed into an easily manageable task, thanks to the brilliance of a dad who saw an opportunity to make a difference. And so, after watching The Worst Witch with Laranya and Pranaya, Rajan came up with the idea for SeeTheTape.co.uk and started the journey from concept to company!