Roche Study Shows AI Can Detect Severity of Diabetic Macular Edema

A new study conducted by researchers from Genentech and Roche shows first-time proof that artificial intelligence can detect the severity of diabetic macular edema, which is a leading cause of blindness. On Monday, researchers from Genentech and its parent company Roche published the study, Deep Learning Predicts OCT Measures of Diabetic Macular Thickening From Color Fundus Photographs” in the journal, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. The study showed that artificial intelligence can be used to provide widespread, cost-effective eye screenings via telemedicine to assist ophthalmologists in improving vision outcomes for millions of people with diabetes who may not be getting regular eye exams. The article is the first to be published that is part of a Roche/Genentech’s Ophthalmology Personalized Healthcare initiative. The initiative, Roche said in a statement, aims to combine meaningful large-scale data and AI technology to predict and prevent ocular conditions and preserve vision.