AI solution can help identify diabetic retinopathy, reduce screening burden on doctors: Intel

Sankara Eye Foundation and Singapore-based Leben Care are deploying a comprehensive retina risk assessment solution, powered by Intel technology, in India that can accurately identify diabetic retinopathy (DR), reducing the screening burden on doctors.

Netra.AI, the cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) solution, is powered by Intel technology and uses deep learning to identify retinal conditions in a short span of time with the accuracy level of human doctors, Intel said in a statement.

Netra.AI can accurately identify diabetic retinopathy, greatly reducing the screening burden on vitreoretinal surgeons, it added.

"The use of AI to improve disease detection and prevention is a critical step for the healthcare industry and a giant leap for humankind.

"India has one of the largest diabetic populations in the world and diabetic retinopathy is the major cause for vision loss and blindness in persons of working age," Intel India Vice President and MD (Sales, Marketing and Communications Group) Prakash Mallya said.

With Netra.AI, Sankara Eye Foundation and Leben Care have leveraged the power of Intel Xeon Scalable processors and built-in Intel Deep Learning (DL) Boost to accurately detect DR and enable timely treatment to effectively combat avoidable vision impairment and blindness in diabetic patients, he added.

So far, Netra.AI has screened 3,093 patients in India and identified 742 at-risk patients.

The solution generates detailed reports within minutes of uploading images and offers immediate and highly accurate diagnosis to help doctors provide instant counsel for patients needing a referral to the hospital, the statement said.

It is a powerful tool for screening retinal illnesses in large populations with limited infrastructure, resources and an overburdened healthcare system, it added.

India has one of the largest diabetic populations of any country in the world, approaching 98 million cases by 2030.

Research shows that DR is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss in adults, and early detection and treatment is critical to stopping the damage.

However, the lack of trained retinal specialists in India -- especially in remote, rural regions -- limits effective screening of asymptomatic patients. This results in patients presenting late with advanced diabetic eye disease.

"Technology and AI are democratising healthcare access, especially in screening for ailments. Our team at Sankara Eye Foundation has focused on our vision to eliminate needless blindness from India," Sankara Eye Foundation India's President of Medical Administration, Quality and Education, Kaushik Murali said.

He added that Netra.AI is an example of how like-minded collaborators can create meaningful and impactful solutions for various challenges that face humanity.