Revolutionising Eye Health: I-SCREEN Project Integrates AI for Early Detection of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Leading the charge in redefining eye care, the innovative I-SCREEN project is tackling age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the predominant cause of severe vision loss in individuals aged 55 and above.
With a mission to transform eye care, the I-SCREEN project is pioneering an AI-based infrastructure to identify and monitor age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at its earliest stages. AMD is a prevalent condition affecting an estimated 67 million citizens in the EU28, including the UK, making it a significant public health concern.
Utilising the precision of AI, the project aims to revolutionise AMD care by introducing a unique AI-powered platform compatible with optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanners found in community-based eye-care professional offices. This approach empowers non-clinical eye care professionals, improving early detection rates and facilitating timely treatment.
Addressing a Silent Threat
AMD poses a significant healthcare challenge, often slipping under the radar until severe vision loss occurs. The I-SCREEN project is dedicated to addressing this silent threat, leveraging AI and cloud technology to make early AMD detection and treatment accessible to citizens through their local optician or optometrist.
The project’s unique approach involves developing AI-powered diagnostic tools for OCT image analysis complimentary to the clinical setting, introducing a new concept of AI-driven shared care. This initiative seeks to transform the management of AMD and provide a therapeutic chance of benefit for affected individuals to experience timely referral to therapeutic intervention whenever needed.
Beyond Eye Health: A Comprehensive Approach
The economic and social impact of the I-SCREEN project extends beyond eye health. By enabling opticians and optometrists to contribute to primary care through AI-based disease detection, the project supports a shift in care-sharing.
Introducing AI-based decision support systems, the project brings precision medicine to ocular and systemic disease management. This system significantly reduces the disease burden, enabling early asymptomatic disease diagnosis with optimal cure perspectives.
Scientific Advancements and Future Implications
Serving as a proof of concept for trustworthy autonomous AI systems in disease detection, the I-SCREEN project contributes to the broader field of AI in healthcare. The reported sensitivity and specificity of AI systems influence the adoption rate among healthcare professionals, setting the stage for scientific advancements in the knowledge of AMD pathomechanisms.
Professor Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth (from Medizinische Universität Wien), the coordinator of the I-SCREEN project, highlighted the key objective of the project: “In AMD, as a population-wide burden, early detection resulting in timely treatment and a wide access to care is paramount. It is our responsibility in healthcare to bundle forces in respect to human expertise and technology to provide life-long vision for the entire society.”
The I-SCREEN project is made possible through the collaboration of a multidisciplinary consortium. This consortium brings together a network of clinical retina experts, computer scientists working at the cutting edge of AI development, an infrastructure of community-based opticians/optometrists, and an SME experienced in clinical decision support systems for ophthalmology. Together, the partners are dedicated to developing innovative and trustworthy AI tools for broad, real-time AMD screening and monitoring via a cloud-based infrastructure with broad access. This collaborative effort underscores the transformative potential of technology in addressing pressing healthcare challenges and reshaping the landscape of eye care delivery on a community base.
For more information about the I-SCREEN project, please visit i-screen.eu or follow us on LinkedIn (I-SCREEN).
Key Facts
Full name
I-SCREEN: A real-world AI-based infrastructure for screening and prediction of progression in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) providing accessible shared care
Start date
1 January 2024
Duration
48 months (1 January 2024 – 31 December 2027)
Budget
4.7 Mil €
Coordinator
Medizinische Universität Wien
Social Media
Website
Project Partners
Medizinische Universität Wien
RetInSight GmbH
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon
The Queen’s University of Belfast
Univerzitetni Klinični Center Ljubljana
Fundació De Recerca Clinic Barcelona
Hospital Clínic de Barcelona
EURICE – European Research and Project Office
RISE – Research and Innovation Services
European Council of Optometry and Optics
Universität Zürich
Vista Klinik Binningen
Contact
Project Coordinator
Medizinische Universität Wien
Prof. Dr. Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth
Mail: ursula.schmidt-erfurth@meduniwien.ac.at