Patients Can Self-Start Eye Diagnosis via Mobile, Says PGI Chandigarh

Reportedly, a successful pilot has been completed for glaucoma, and the AI tools are currently undergoing in-house development and validation

In a significant move to extend eyecare in remote areas, a new vision center is being developed by Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGI), Chandigarh’s Advanced Eye Centre (AEC), that brings artificial intelligence (AI) and mobile-phone diagnostics to the front lines of rural health.

The initiative is designed to bring a low-cost eyecare model that leverages AI and mobile technology, which is expected to allow patients to initiate their own diagnosis process.

“The new model differs significantly from existing telemedicine practices, which often require specialised equipment like fundus cameras and the presence of a trained technician at a peripheral vision centre,” said Prof SS Pandav, Head of the AEC.

Project Timeline

Under the project, patients will be able to initiate the diagnostic process themselves using their mobile phones, taking photos and narrating their histories, which will then be evaluated by doctors with the aid of in-house AI tools.

Further, the AI-driven model is built on the recognition that much of the critical diagnostic information lies in the full narrative of the patient, their symptoms, past health issues, and context, rather than just the snapshot medical history.

The wealth of the qualitative data will be analyzed by an AI to provide a more holistic and complete picture for diagnosis, addressing the common problem where accompanying details vital to a full assessment are often missed.

As per sources, the center will be housed in an extension building of the AEC, six storeys high, with four operating theatres. The project has already received approval from PGI’s governing body for Rs 98 crore.

Reportedly, a successful pilot has been completed for glaucoma, and the AI tools are currently undergoing in-house development and validation.

According to PGI, the initiative aims to expand the system beyond eye diseases to eventually integrate with other health data, evolving into a comprehensive semi-automated healthcare platform.

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