Improving Eye Health With AI-Powered Technology

Our eyes are the window to the world. It is the primary sensory portal through which we perceive our surroundings. Sadly, there is a disproportionately high burden of vision loss within the Black community, driven mainly by diabetic retinopathy (DR) and glaucoma. Over 825,000 Black people live with diabetic retinopathy, a number projected to exceed 1 million by 2030, underscoring an urgent need for new solutions—including AI-powered devices and technologies that can support earlier detection, expand screening access, and help prevent avoidable blindness.

Some eye diseases and blindness are linked to health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, which have disproportionately higher occurrences in our community. In fact, our community has the highest rate of blindness or vision loss caused by eye disease.

Genetic susceptibility, earlier onset of diseases, and systemic barriers are three of the leading factors leading to a higher rate of blindness and vision loss in our community. For example, our community has a different eye structure and genetic predisposition that make us more vulnerable to glaucoma. This disease occurs at least 5 times more in the Black community, and its incidence is about 10 years earlier compared to other ethnic populations.

Because glaucoma is usually asymptomatic until the advanced stages, and because routine eye care is often limited by reduced access to quality healthcare and economic barriers, it is frequently diagnosed only after irreversible damage has occurred.

FDA-Approved AI Diagnostic Systems for Eye Health

AI-powered tools and technologies have the potential to eliminate the bias in healthcare access that often hinders the early diagnoses of eye diseases that lead to vision loss or blindness in our community.

AI-powered tools can also augment the shortage of healthcare professionals, often blamed for the lack of adequate care in our community. These tools can speed up the diagnostic process and detect conditions faster than medical professionals. As of 2024, the Food and Drug Administration has cleared around half a dozen AI-powered diagnostic systems for autonomous detection of diabetic retinopathy.

1. LumineticsCore

In 2018, LumineticsCore developed by Digital Diagnostics, formerly called IDx-DR, became the first FDA-approved AI algorithm for detecting “more-than-mild” diabetic retinopathy in adults 22 years and older. The system uses a Topcon robotic camera to capture the image of the retina, ensuring the diagnosis of DR within 30 seconds. It eliminates the need for a physician to interpret the result, allowing immediate results at the point of care.

2. EyeArt

Over 500,000 people have been screened for more-than-mild and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy using EyeArt, developed by Eyenuk, Inc. It was cleared to be used with multiple cameras, including Canon CR-2 AF and Topcon NW400. The AI algorithm assigns time-sensitivity to the patients with vision-threatening DR, which helps with managing referrals. It received FDA clearance under the 510(k) pathway in 2020.

3. AEYE

This diagnostic screening tool was developed by AEYE Health, Inc. for the detection of more-than-mild diabetic retinopathy. It only requires one image per eye and has high “imageability”. In other words, it works with little to no dilation. It became the first AI diagnostic tool authorized for use with a portable handheld camera like the Optomed Aurora in 2024.

AI-Powered Smartphone Apps for Eye Health

Our community can also leverage AI-powered smartphone apps for diagnostic or following-up with their medication. It is important to mention that smartphone apps should not replace regular eye screening. Smartphone apps can provide preliminary insights that can guide you on when to seek clinical intervention. Popular AI-powered smartphone apps that assist with eye health include:

MD EyeCare: This iOS app can detect eye disorders in children, including leukocoria (white reflex), which is a common indicator of retinoblastoma (a form of curable eye cancer that affects children under 3 years)
EyeScan: This AI-powered app uses smartphone-based image capture to scan for potential eye abnormalities. This provides you with preliminary insights and can help with identifying potential eye problems on time
eyefit.ai: This app is a suite of AI-powered tools that help with at-home vision health diagnostics. It can track myopia progression, check for early signs of Dry Eye, and provide tailored care plans using AI

People in our community who are already receiving treatment for one or more eye diseases may be asked to use eye drops multiple times a day. Keeping up with the times can be a problem, especially for seniors. EyeDropAlarm will not only notify you when it is time for your medication, but it can also identify specific eye drop bottles.

AI-Powered Wearables for Eye Care

AI-powered wearables have evolved from fitness trackers to specialized, noninvasive medical assistance tools for early disease detection, chronic condition management, and assistive vision. Some of the ways that AI-powered wearables are enhancing eye health include:

Clouclip: This device attaches to glasses to track lighting and viewing angles in children to fight the progression of myopia. Patients can quantify their myopia development risk by wearing it for just a few days
Sensimed Triggerfish: This is an FDA-approved disposable silicone contact lens sensor designed for 24-hour continuous, non-invasive monitoring of ocular dimensional changes. It provides physicians with valuable information that can guide in glaucoma treatment. This provides diagnosis for early intervention to prevent total vision loss
BlinkWise: The specialized, low-power wearable attaches to glasses and uses radio waves to track eye openness and blink. This information offers insights into neurological changes or fatigue. Since the AI model runs on the chip attached to the glasses, it offers immediate, power-efficient analysis without cloud latency

The impact of eye disease on vision can be curtailed if it is discovered and treated in the early stage. Early eye disease diagnosis is lacking in our community because of a variety of factors, particularly lack of access. However, we can bridge that gap and improve sight in our community using AI-powered devices and technologies. But remember, these tools are not meant to replace clinical visits but to augment them.

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