Research conducted in the United Kingdom has utilized technology that can detect signs of geographic atrophy (GA) before damage to vision occurs. The clinical trial led by a research team at Imperial College London and UCL (University College London) reported findings that revealed sections of the eye showing early signs of GA, an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration and common cause of vision loss. The technology tested involved a form of retinal imaging called Detection of Apoptosis in Retinal Cells (DARC). “The researchers believe that this technology could be used as a screening test for GA and help advance the development of new treatments for the disease.” Currently, the early stages of the condition occur with few noticeable symptoms, so that vision loss progresses undetected until GA advances. The study reported that DARC predicted new areas of GA three years ahead of time. DARC technology “allows the visualization of sick and dying cells on the retina…” and highlights “unhealthy and sick cells, to give an indication of disease activity.” Read more from the Imperial College London about how an AI-supported test can predict eye disease that leads to blindness. The full study can be found in ScienceDirect’s Progress in Retinal Eye Research.
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