AI optical coherence tomography screening

AI optical coherence tomography (OCT) screening applies machine-learning algorithms to OCT and fundus imaging for broad eye-disease detection — diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma — distinct from the neurodegenerative-brain-disease-specific retinal biomarker research covered elsewhere in this catalog. Notal Vision’s Home OCT system lets AMD patients self-monitor at home, with a pivotal study validating diagnostic equivalence to in-clinic OCT and reporting that the resulting data measurably influences physician treatment decisions. Topcon Healthcare’s Maestro2 multimodal platform combines OCT and color fundus imaging, and recently received FDA 510(k) clearance for robotic OCT angiography, adding AI-assisted vascular imaging to its screening capability. RetinAI, a Swiss AI-based OCT analytics platform, was acquired by EssilorLuxottica in a deal reported in late 2025, now operating as part of the eyewear and eye-health giant’s broader portfolio. In China, Airdoc develops AI-based eye-screening technology as part of the country’s growing ophthalmic AI diagnostics base. In the US, iHealthScreen recently received FDA 510(k) clearance (K253704) for iPredict DR, AI-powered software for automated diabetic retinopathy screening.

The key directions of AI optical coherence tomography screening are:

1. Home/remote OCT monitoring (Home OCT Monitoring): patient-operated OCT devices enabling self-monitoring outside the clinic, validated against in-clinic diagnostic accuracy — Notal Vision.
2. Multimodal AI OCT platforms (Multimodal AI OCT Platforms): clinic-based systems combining OCT, fundus photography and increasingly OCT angiography with AI-assisted interpretation — Topcon Healthcare’s Maestro2.
3. AI OCT analytics software (AI OCT Analytics Software): software platforms applying machine learning to OCT image analysis, now often integrated into larger eye-health or eyewear businesses — RetinAI.
4. Autonomous AI diabetic retinopathy screening (Autonomous AI DR Screening): FDA-cleared AI software that independently interprets fundus/OCT images to flag diabetic retinopathy without requiring a specialist to read every image — iHealthScreen, Airdoc.

Sectoral value chain#

[OCT/fundus image capture] ──> [AI algorithm disease detection] ──> [screening result/report generation]
                                                    │
                                       (regulatory clearance: FDA/MDR-IVDR/NMPA)
                                                    │
                                                    ▼
[population screening program integration] <─── [clinical referral decision] <─────┘

Value chain levels#

Cross-cutting technologies of the sector:

• Home-use OCT hardware (Home OCT Monitoring): simplified, patient-operable OCT devices extend monitoring frequency beyond periodic in-clinic visits, validated to match in-clinic diagnostic accuracy.
• Multimodal imaging integration (Multimodal AI OCT Platforms): combining OCT, fundus photography and OCT angiography in one platform, with AI assisting interpretation across modalities.
• Autonomous AI diagnostic software (Autonomous AI DR Screening): FDA-cleared algorithms that independently classify disease presence from an image, reducing reliance on specialist image review for population-scale screening.

The stack spans home-use imaging hardware, multimodal clinic platforms and autonomous AI interpretation software, each extending OCT/fundus screening capacity beyond what specialist-only image review could deliver at population scale.

1. Home-use OCT devices (Home OCT Monitoring):
   • Notal Vision’s Home OCT system, validated for diagnostic equivalence to in-clinic OCT, lets AMD patients generate clinically actionable imaging data between office visits.
2. Multimodal clinic platforms (Multimodal AI OCT Platforms):
   • Topcon Healthcare’s Maestro2 combines OCT, color fundus photography and now FDA-cleared robotic OCT angiography in one system, with AI assisting interpretation across the combined imaging modalities.
3. AI OCT analytics software (AI OCT Analytics Software):
   • RetinAI Discovery applies machine learning to OCT image analysis, technology EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 acquisition folded into a global eye-health and eyewear portfolio.
4. Autonomous AI diagnostic screening (Autonomous AI DR Screening):
   • iHealthScreen’s iPredict DR (FDA-cleared) and Airdoc’s AI eye-screening technology both independently classify diabetic retinopathy presence from imaging, reducing the specialist-review bottleneck for population-scale screening.