AI-led eye screenings launch in Vietnam

The project is focused on delivering AI-led screenings, specialist training for screening teams, and improving community awareness of DR, a sight-stealing condition that poses a threat to millions across the country.

Our partner NIDEK, a specialist ophthalmic equipment manufacturer, has generously donated six fundus cameras that capture high-quality images of the retina (back of the eye) for use at six health facilities across three provinces. This is the first time that NIDEK fundus cameras will use Cybersight AI in routine screening settings.

Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding eye disease that is expected to rise dramatically in Vietnam as the number of people with diabetes is set to increase fivefold by 2030. Nearly all people with type 1 and 60% of people with type 2 diabetes – nearly two million people in Vietnam alone – are at risk for developing DR at some point in their lives.

The good news is that early detection and timely treatment can help prevent vision loss – this is where AI plays a pivotal role, especially in hard-to-reach communities. Cybersight AI can detect diabetic retinopathy in seconds, eliminating the long wait for screening results that rely on human graders, and improving timely referral and access to follow-up care.

Thanks to an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Grant we were awarded last year, Amazon’s cloud computing arm is helping boost access to these AI-assisted eye screenings powered by our bespoke tool, Cybersight AI.

In collaboration with Hanoi University, in-person and online training courses in DR photography and Cybersight AI for early detection of the eye disease have been delivered. A virtual course was translated into Vietnamese and completed by participants even without an ophthalmology background. So far, around 500 health professionals have been trained via Cybersight.

To compliment the installation of AI screening equipment and the training of medical staff, Orbis Vietnam is sharing information, education, and communication materials to raise public awareness of DR and retinal diseases and promote better eye care.

Images: Our AI-led DR project in action.

Our peer-reviewed research from Rwanda shows the effectiveness of Cybersight AI, with an increased uptake of referral services and high levels of satisfaction. AI has also been shown to be equally effective for children with diabetes as it is for adults.

We’d like to say a big thank you to our partners NIDEK and AWS for their help in expanding AI-led screenings in Vietnam. Together with the kindness of our supporters, we’re changing the way the world sees.