MEDICAL RESEARCH

Artificial intelligence to check eyes

Many people have type 2 diabetes, and a frequent complication is diabetic eye disease (retinopathy), which can threaten eyesight if not discovered at an early stage and treated.

Today, diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy requires an examination of the patient’s eyes by an ophthalmologist. National quality surveys show, however, that far from all patients with type 2 diabetes have their eyes examined, although the great majority go regularly for check-ups with their own doctor.

“The support of the Vissing Foundation makes a big difference to our study, which will investigate whether GPs can take pictures of the patient’s eyes with a camera that uses artificial intelligence, and can automatically indicate whether eye changes can be seen,” says Jette Kolding Kristensen, clinical professor at the Center for General Practice at Aalborg University.

The project will shed light on experiences of using artificial intelligence and opinions about it among staff and patients. The study will also show how reliable the results are from this type of eye examination, and in addition, the financial consequences will be evaluated.

It is expected that the project will lead to more people with type 2 diabetes being screened for eye disease, and facilitate early detection of diabetic retinopathy.