Researchers have successfully used artificial intelligence (AI) to predict which patients need treatment to stabilise their corneas and preserve their eyesight, in a study presented today (Sunday) at the 43rd Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS).

The research focused on people with keratoconus , a visual impairment that generally develops in teenagers and young adults and tends to worsen into adulthood. It affects up to 1 in 350 people. In some cases, the condition can be managed with contact lenses , but in others it deteriorates quickly and if it is not treated, patients may need a corneal transplant. Currently the only way to tell who needs treatment is to monitor patients over time.

The researchers used AI to assess images of patients’ ey

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