AI eye imaging innovation could improve disease diagnosis

UCLB has been instrumental is setting up Cascader Ltd, a new medical technology company applying AI algorithms to existing retinal examination technology to give greater insights into ophthalmic diseases and earlier diagnosis of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and dementia. 

Cascader is a collaboration between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO), and Topcon Healthcare. The company combines the pioneering AI research and translational expertise of Moorfields and UCL IoO with the technical capabilities and international reach of Topcon Healthcare, a provider of ophthalmic imaging systems used in hospitals and community clinics around the world.  

It builds on the growing field of Oculomics – the use of advanced retinal imaging to uncover insights into systemic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and dementia. 

Mark Fisher, Associate Director at UCLB: “UCLB is delighted to have played a role in the establishment in this new company alongside Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Topcon Inc. Partnering with industrial leaders in the new area of Oculomics should accelerate routes to market for AI technologies and break down the barriers of AI applications in healthcare. It exemplifies the benefits of close relationships between academics and clinicians in creating technologies that will bring major benefits to patients as a result of earlier diagnosis in a range of diseases.” 

Headquartered in London, Cascader is focused on accelerating the translation of cutting-edge AI from research into real-world clinical tools, so that novel diagnostic technologies can reach patients faster. 

Its initial focus will be on macular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of irreversible vision loss that affects one in eight people over the age of 60. This builds on landmark work led by Moorfields and UCL IoO, including the 2016 collaboration with Google DeepMind and the development of RETFound, the first foundation model in ophthalmology, published in Nature in 2023. 

Cascader’s long-term mission is to develop a portfolio of AI tools to support earlier and more accurate detection of disease across the full spectrum of eye care: from high-street optometry to hospital-based specialist clinics, and to further advance Oculomics as a foundation for precision medicine. 

Cascader will be supported by the INSIGHT Health Data Research Hub, the world’s largest ophthalmic imaging bioresource, led by Moorfields. INSIGHT comprises over 35 million retinal images linked to clinical metadata and enables secure, anonymised data access for approved researchers – supported by advanced AI infrastructure, curation services, and active patient involvement.  

Cascader marks a significant step in translating Oculomics into clinical care and aligns with broader global efforts – including Topcon Healthcare’s Healthcare from the Eye™ initiative – to harness ocular data as a gateway to more proactive, connected, and equitable healthcare. 

Peter Ridley, Chief Executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital: “We are proud to support the founding of Cascader. This new venture represents the next step in our commitment to translating world-class clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and the NHS.” 

Professor Pearse Keane, Chief Medical Advisor and co-founder of Cascader; consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital; professor of artificial medical intelligence at UCL IoO: “Cascader is uniquely positioned at the intersection of clinical excellence, academic leadership, and technological innovation. We are building on more than a decade of research into AI and Oculomics – fields in which we’ve been proud to lead globally – and are now focused on delivering those discoveries into everyday clinical care.”