LOS ANGELES—Eyenuk, a global artificial intelligence (AI) digital health company, has announced that it has collaborated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology and its EyeCare America program to provide eye disease screening for underserved communities in Delaware. Under the program, primary care providers in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are using Eyenuk’s EyeArt AI Eye Screening system to autonomously detect diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. According to the announcement, the program is currently available at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center, an FQHC with locations in Wilmington and Claymont, Del., serving low-income, underserved and minority populations who are disproportionately affected by diabetes and its complications.

While one in 11 Americans receives health care at an FQHC, few of the centers are currently offering eye disease screenings, according to the announcement. This program aims to bridge that gap by providing easy access to diabetic retinopathy screenings during routine primary care visits.

The FDA-cleared EyeArt AI system greatly expands the availability of vision-saving eye screenings by making automated AI diagnosis and coordination of care possible in primary care medical practices without the need for a specialist’s review, according to Eyenuk. The system is integrated with retinal imaging cameras and can be operated by clinical support staff to generate a detailed screening report in less than 10 seconds.

Patients found to have signs of diabetic retinopathy through the EyeArt system will be referred locally, including to volunteer ophthalmologists participating in the Academy’s EyeCare America program for further evaluation and treatment, according to the agreement.

“Many patients with diabetes don’t visit an eye doctor regularly, often because they lack access or are unaware of the risks,” said Paula Ko, MD, an ophthalmologist and president of the Delaware Academy of Ophthalmologists. “With the EyeArt system at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center, we can give a lot more patients who do not go to the eye doctor access to diabetic eye screening. Our goal is to have other health care facilities offer this technology throughout Delaware so all Delawareans will have access to early screening and detection.”

“We are so excited to be a pilot for a program that will truly save the sight of those who might not otherwise have such support,” added Yvette Gbemudu, MD, a family practice physician at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center. “We are hoping that by changing the care of our diabetic patients, we can begin to change the vision of diabetics nationwide and eventually those with other eye ailments, including glaucoma. I believe that finding eye problems early will also lead to the individual investing in improving their overall health.”

“Eyenuk is proud to support this initiative by bringing the power of AI to the front lines of health care,” said Bryan Haardt, CEO of Eyenuk. “Our mission is to make diabetic eye screening available to all at-risk populations, especially those who face barriers to specialty care. This collaboration with the Academy and Henrietta Johnson Medical Center is a critical step in addressing this public health challenge.”