AIIMS Develops AI System To Screen For Glaucoma At Grassroots Level

A new artificial intelligence (AI)-based software designed to detect glaucoma, a major cause of irreversible blindness, has been developed by specialists at the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences of AIIMS, Delhi, with plans to deploy it in primary health centers across the country in the coming months.

The AI-based system is aimed at enabling early detection of glaucoma, which often develops silently without noticeable symptoms until significant vision loss has already occurred. Using this technology, a simple photograph of the patient’s eye can be taken at any healthcare facility and transmitted to a central laboratory, where artificial intelligence will analyze the image and determine whether the patient is likely to have glaucoma.

Dr. Tanuj Dada, Professor at the Ophthalmology Department and Head of Glaucoma Care Services at the RP Centre, said, “The system will help address a major challenge in India—the shortage of specialists available to screen the large population at risk. The software will be able to identify individuals who need urgent medical attention while advising others to return for routine follow-up examinations after a year or two.”

The project is being developed in collaboration with the Union Health Ministry and is expected to be implemented in primary health centers within the next two months before gradually expanding to rural health facilities.

Dr. Dada noted that glaucoma, often referred to as kala motia, is particularly dangerous because many patients remain unaware of the disease until it reaches an advanced stage. Early screening, therefore, plays a critical role in preventing permanent loss of vision.

Another key risk factor is family history. Dr. Dada emphasized that if one member of a family is diagnosed with glaucoma, other family members face a significantly higher risk and should undergo screening as well.

People living with diabetes, hypertension, or those who have experienced eye injuries are also considered vulnerable. Similarly, individuals who wear very thick glasses may have a higher likelihood of developing the condition.

Doctors also warn about the growing and often overlooked role of steroid use in increasing glaucoma risk. Steroids are widely used in several forms, including eye drops prescribed for allergies, creams applied on the face, oral tablets, injections, and inhalers commonly used by patients with asthma.

“With allergies increasing, many people are regularly using steroid inhalers. Some individuals also misuse steroids for muscle building. All these can increase the risk of glaucoma,” Dr. Dada cautioned.

For this reason, people who use steroids in any form are advised to undergo regular eye examinations to detect any early signs of the disease. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to progressive and irreversible damage to the optic nerve, eventually resulting in vision loss.

Because glaucoma usually does not produce early symptoms, patients rarely seek medical attention unless they experience noticeable visual problems.

He suggested that adults above the age of 40 should make regular eye examinations a part of their health routine. “This age is particularly important because many people begin to notice difficulty reading small print or focusing on near objects,” he said.