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AI-Powered Eye Screening Spots Diabetes Early in India
19 Sep
Summary
- AI and retinal scans estimate HbA1c levels in two minutes.
- 39.7% of over 11,000 screened Mumbaikars showed abnormal results.
- Technology aids early detection of diabetic retinopathy.
In an innovative approach to diabetes detection, artificial intelligence combined with retinal eye scans is offering quick HbA1c level estimations at large Ganpati festival venues in Mumbai. This technology, which captures an image of the retina, provides results in approximately two minutes, offering a non-invasive alternative to blood tests.
Organized by the Eyebetes Foundation and Forus Healthcare, the medical camps at Siddhivinayak Temple and GSB Seva Mandal have screened over 11,000 individuals. Initial computations from the first 5,000 screenings revealed that 39.7% had abnormal HbA1c results, indicating potential diabetes. This method is being utilized for the first time in India for such a widespread screening effort.
Dr. Nishant Kumar of Eyebetes Foundation noted that similar technology has shown success in early detection of diabetic retinopathy in other countries. The AI model was trained using international datasets and refined with Indian data, including screenings from the Maha Kumbh. The team anticipates collecting more retinal images during the ongoing Ganpati screenings. This advancement could significantly help individuals hesitant to undergo blood tests in India, a nation with a high diabetes prevalence.
