The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) www.jhuapl.edu and the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute www.hopkinsmedicine.org/wilmer received a grant from NIH to develop image analysis and machine learning tools to detect Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
AMD causes lesions that blur the sharp central vision individuals need for activities such as reading, recognizing faces, and driving. AMD affects the macula, the center part of the retina the light sensitive tissue that lines the back wall of the eye. Left untreated, AMD is the number one cause of blindness for individuals over 50.
Dr. Neil Bressler, Chief of the Retina Division of the Wilmer Eye Institute and APL’s Philippe Burlina co-investigator are studying ways to detect treatable lesions before substantial vision loss has occurred. Researchers are looking for an automated way to diagnose AMD at its earliest stages.
“It can be very difficult to identify who may be at risk for AMD-related vision loss because AMD has no impact on other parts of the body,” reports Bressler. Also in the earlier stage of AMD, typically there can be no symptoms of vision loss.”
Bressler adds, “There are not enough skilled observers like optometrists or ophthalmologists to scan the population at risk to include the tens of millions of people over the age of 50. What is greatly needed is a way to automatically detect the earlier stages of AMD.”
The researchers will use the “Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) database which contains medical records for 4,757 individuals that participated in a ten year study of AMD. The team will analyze images and incorporate other information included in medical records, such as co-occurring pathologies, demographics, lifestyle, and hospitalization history. The team will then develop algorithms robust enough to use on millions of individuals.
The ultimate goal is to identify the estimated eight million people with the earlier stages of AMD among the tens of millions of people over the age of 50 who are at risk. These individuals will then be referred to a practitioner who will be able to monitor the individuals for the onset of the more advanced stage when prompt treatment is indicated.