The Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation (NORI) at Sunderland Univ. is working on new ways to quickly diagnose health concerns. They just received a grant for more than £12 million. That’s over $16 million.
The project uses AI to improve regular eye exams and spot early signs of illness. Researchers on the project said money from the grant is being used to push the technology further and get it to international markets. The AI tool currently looks for blood sugar concerns and heart disease. In the future, it may be able to find warning signs for dementia and strokes.
The test looks at the nerve tissue and tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye. AI analyzes scans of the eye and compares them to the person’s history and a set of pooled data. That way, it is comparing the person to their previous self to see changes, and others to see any early signs of disease.
“Earlier diagnosis means better outcomes for patients and less pressure on our [healthcare system], and technology has a vital role to play,” said the British Science minister Chris McDonald. “These healthcare hubs offer a powerful example of how scientific research can improve lives, whether that is using scans to catch heart disease earlier, or using AI to assess head injuries quicker.”
Matthew Campbell, co-director of NORI, said, "We now have the scale to develop technologies, test them in real-world healthcare settings and take them into national and international markets."
This technology could make routine eye exams an important diagnostic tool.
Currently, most eye exams include retinal screening. That is when your doctor either uses a magnifying lens or camera to examine the health of your retina and look for any health concerns. The examination can spot signs of aging, damage from high blood pressure, stress from blood sugar concerns, vision loss, inflammation, multiple sclerosis and cancer. The test is repeated early to track any changes in eye health.
This new AI eye scan may someday become a standard part of an eye exam just like a retinal screening. Just like a retinal screening, it may be able to give a person insight into their health as well as their vision.
