BACKGROUND
Diabetic retinopathy is a vascular condition that damages the retina as a result of diabetes mellitus, and is the leading cause of blindness in industrialized nations, and the leading cause of blindness in adults globally. The likelihood of patients developing diabetic retinopathy is very high, with almost all of Type I and more than 60% of Type II patients developing it after 20 years of having diabetes. To reduce vision loss there is a critical need to accurately screen for this serious eye condition as early as possible to allow for adequate prevention treatment and increased patient compliance.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
Investigators at OSU have developed a novel non-image-based predictive analytic approach for assessing the risk of a patient developing diabetic retinopathy. They employed machine-learning algorithms and electronic medical records to develop a novel risk score system based on essential predictors of the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. This new technology ensures high accuracy while only requiring readily available demographic and comorbidities data as well as information from a standard blood work (e.g., creatinine, HbA1c, white blood cell count, glucose), contained in most patient records. This novel technology provides an accurate, non-invasive, and easily accessible screening tool that allows at-risk patients to seek effective preventative treatment, helps increase the rate of patient compliance to routine eye exams thereby advancing the standards of care for this disease.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
- New risk assessment predictive analytic tool for diabetic patients
- Enables primary care providers to screen patients at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy
MAIN ADVANTAGES
- Accurately assess risk for developing diabetic retinopathy
- Non-invasive and low-cost tool to detect diabetic retinopathy in the early stages
- Easily accessible technology adopted for use in rural areas
- Increases patients’ compliance with eye exams and allows timely preventative treatment
COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY
Given the increase in diabetes mellitus rates in the United States and globally, there high unmet need and a growing opportunity for novel diagnostics of diabetic retinopathy. The global market associated with diabetic retinopathy was $7.64 billion in 2020, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% over the next five years to $10 billion in 2026.
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT