Forus Health Unveils AI Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Tool, Gets CDSCO Nod

The software uses deep learning models to analyse retinal images and predict disease severity, enabling more nuanced and clinically relevant screening outcomes.

Bengaluru-based medtech firm Forus Health has received regulatory approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for its AI-led diabetic retinopathy screening solution, FH-POISE DRT.

The approval allows FH-POISE DRT to be used as a screening tool to identify patients at risk of diabetic retinopathy, supporting earlier clinical evaluation and timely intervention to help prevent diabetes-related vision loss.

FH-POISE (Precision Ocular Intelligence for Systemic & Eye Health) is an AI-powered retinal image analysis platform developed by Forus Health to support the detection and screening of ocular and systemic diseases using advanced algorithms.

The software uses deep learning models to analyse retinal images and predict disease severity, enabling more nuanced and clinically relevant screening outcomes.

It has received CDSCO approval as a Class C Software as a Medical Device, one of the most stringent risk categories, with validation carried out on real-world retinal images across a diverse demographic, demonstrating suitability for real-world healthcare settings.

India carries one of the world’s largest diabetes burdens. According to the International Diabetes Federation, approximately 89.8 million adults in India were living with diabetes in 2024, placing sustained pressure on the healthcare system.

“India’s challenge with diabetic retinopathy is not awareness alone, but scale,” said Chandrasekhar K., Founder and CEO, Forus Health. “Embedding reliable screening into routine diabetes care is essential if we are to prevent avoidable vision loss. Regulatory approval for FH-POISE™ DRT enables technology-focused screening closer to where patients already receive care, helping strengthen early detection while making better use of limited specialist capacity.”

Peer-reviewed studies estimate that vision impairment and blindness in India result in productivity losses exceeding Rs 11,000 crore annually, underlining the broader economic and societal impact of delayed diagnosis and treatment.

Going ahead, Forus Health plans to deploy FH-POISE DRT across hospitals, public health initiatives, and screening programmes, aligned with India’s focus on preventive healthcare and digital health-enabled early diagnosis.

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