# Evaluation of the effectiveness of a portable device for diagnosing cataract

## TL;DR

A portable device for diagnosing cataracts was tested and found to be effective in remote areas.

## Contribution

The study evaluates a portable cataract diagnosis device using photography and AI in low-light settings.

## Key findings

- The device achieved 88.5% accuracy in diagnosing cataracts.
- Isolated nuclear cataract was the most frequently detected subtype.
- The device could help reduce cataract-induced blindness in remote regions.

## Abstract

Access to cataract treatment and diagnostic tools continues to be hindered by
financial and logistical barriers. Thus, photography-based cataract analysis
via portable devices offers a promising solution for the detection of
cataracts in remote regions. In this study, the accuracy of a portable
device that is based on the Lens Opacities Classification III System for
diagnosing cataracts was analyzed.

Photographs of the anterior segment of the eye were taken in a low-light
environment, and the pupillary region markings were automatically delineated
using infrared photography. The captured images were automatically analyzed
using a convolutional neural network. The study group included patients with
cataracts, and the control group included patients without cataracts.

A total of 270 eyes were analyzed, which included 143 eyes with cataracts and
127 control eyes. A total of 599 photos were analyzed. The isolated nuclear
cataract was the most frequently detected subtype (37.5%), followed by a
nuclear cataract associated with a cortical cataract (30.3%). The device’s
accuracy was 88.5% (Confidence intervals (CI), 83.19%-94.69%), specificity
was 84.62% (CI 71.79%-97.30%), positive predictive value was 91.78% (CI
74.36%-97.30%), and negative predictive value was 82.50% (CI
74.36%-97.30%).

The portable device is a simplified user-friendly cataract screening
technique that can interpret results in remote regions. This innovation
could mitigate the occurrence of cataract-induced blindness and prevent
premature surgical interventions in early-stage cataracts.