Researchers highlight shortcomings of AI in eye care

A study published in NPJ Digital Medicine has revealed evidence gaps in eye imaging devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that were approved for patient care.

It found that devices varied widely in providing evidence for clinical performance and lacked transparency about training data, including details of gender, age and ethnicity.

Lead author, Dr Ariel Ong, said: ‘AI screening could help identify disease earlier and support clinical management, but only if the AI is built on solid foundations. We must hold AI tools to the same high standards of evidence as any medical test or drug.’

Researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology examined 36 regulator-approved ‘AI as a medical device’ tools in Europe, Australia and the US.