Moorfields develop glaucoma detection software

Experts at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital have developed software to spot signs of glaucoma earlier than conventional tests.

The team believes that the test has the potential to prevent many patients from losing their sight, by monitoring their perception of motion.

A central white spot and several white lines are displayed on a grey computer screen. The patient is asked to look steadily at the central spot and to click the mouse each time one of the lines is seen to move.

The lines move at the same speed but move different distances as the test proceeds, meaning experts can detect the degree of visual loss.

Professor Vis Viswanathan, a consultant surgeon in glaucoma at Moorfields who developed the system, told E-Health Insider: “Conventional tests – which concentrate on the ability to see light – fail to pick up a patient’s ability to detect movement. A better test would be based on the ability to perceive motion and that is how this test came about.”

The ability to perceive motion is one of the first things people suffering glaucoma experience and, by monitoring this, the system is able to detect whether a patient is at risk of having the eye condition or not.

“In general terms, if somebody perceives very small amounts of motion, they are in pretty good shape,” added Professor Viswanathan.

Patients are often unaware of symptoms for Glaucoma until a great deal of useful sight has been permanently destroyed, and it is estimated that around 250,000 patients in the UK are displaying symptoms, but have not been diagnosed with the condition.

Researchers estimate that if just 10% of UK glaucoma cases were detected and treated earlier it could save up to £1bn a year. If diagnosed in time, the condition can be easily treated with eye drops.

Professor Viswanathan, says that once available, the software can be downloaded to a laptop computer, and eventually it is hoped to make it available directly from the internet.

“The test is affordable, portable, quick – and has the potential to spot glaucoma earlier than conventional tests, and with greater accuracy.”

From April, clinics in Toronto, Rome, Africa and Singapore will be testing the software with the aim of independently verifying how effective it is.

Next year, researchers hope to be able to secure funding to roll out the software across the UK.

Professor Peng Tee Khaw, a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields, said: “By the time people come to us they have often lost a lot of their sight and the damage is permanent. If we could pick these people up at an earlier stage it would make a tremendous difference to their lives.”

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Moorfields Eye Hospital