Groundbreaking research by Moorfields Eye Hospital, DeepMind Health and UCL uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help identify potentially blinding eye diseases. The AI system can recommend the correct referral decision for over 50 eye diseases with 94 percent accuracy, matching world-leading eye experts. The system, which was tested at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London over the past 18 months, could help doctors and other eye health professionals spot serious conditions earlier and prioritize patients who urgently need treatment. This infographic shows how AI could help clinicians detect eye disease. See related story.

“The number of eye scans we’re performing is growing at a pace much faster than human experts are able to interpret them. There is a risk that this may cause delays in the diagnosis and treatment of sight-threatening diseases, which can be devastating for patients,” said Pearse Keane, MD, consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and NIHR Clinician Scientist at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Dr. Keane explains the research findings in this video.

“The AI technology we’re developing is designed to prioritize patients who need to be seen and treated urgently by a doctor or eyecare professional. If we can diagnose and treat eye conditions early, it gives us the best chance of saving people’s sight. With further research it could lead to greater consistency and quality of care for patients with eye problems in the future.”

Click here to watch an exclusive video interview with Dr. Keane conducted by VM’s Andrew Karp. The video premiered at the 2017 Vision Monday Global Leadership Summit, the theme of which was “A-Eye - Artificial Intelligence: Supercharging Knowledge and Decision Making.”