Application of artificial intelligence in anterior segment ophthalmic diseases: diversity and standardization

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) based on machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques has gained tremendous global interest in this era. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of AI systems to provide improved capability in various tasks, especially in image recognition field. As an image-centric subspecialty, ophthalmology has become one of the frontiers of AI research. Trained on optical coherence tomography, slit-lamp images and even ordinary eye images, AI can achieve robust performance in the detection of glaucoma, corneal arcus and cataracts. Moreover, AI models based on other forms of data also performed satisfactorily. Nevertheless, several challenges with AI application in ophthalmology have also arisen, including standardization of data sets, validation and applicability of AI models, and ethical issues. In this review, we provided a summary of the state-of-the-art AI application in anterior segment ophthalmic diseases, potential challenges in clinical implementation and our prospects.