Video: Predicting Glaucoma Progression with AI

Cecilia S. Lee, MD, MS, explores how deep learning models could enable earlier intervention and better outcomes.

By: Cecilia S. Lee, MD, MS

Glaucoma Physician February 20, 2026

Clinical Report: Predicting Glaucoma Progression with AI

Overview

This report discusses the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in predicting glaucoma progression, highlighting a study that utilized deep learning models to forecast future visual field outcomes based on baseline data. The findings suggest that AI can enhance clinical decision-making and patient management in glaucoma care.

Background

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, and its management is complicated by the variability in disease progression among patients. Current clinical practices often react to vision loss rather than proactively preventing it. The integration of AI into glaucoma care could provide earlier intervention opportunities and improve patient outcomes by predicting disease progression more accurately.

Data Highlights

Study	Data Points	Outcome
Initial Study	1.7 million perimetry points from 4,000 patients	Predicted future visual fields based on baseline data
Multimodal Model	Disc photos and OCT data	Improved prediction accuracy over single modality

Key Findings

AI models can predict future visual fields from a single baseline visual field.
Performance of predictions decreases with longer time intervals from the baseline.
Combining disc photos and OCT data enhances prediction accuracy.
AI models can indicate the primary data source for predictions, aiding clinician understanding.
Large longitudinal multimodal datasets are essential for training effective AI models.

Clinical Implications

The use of AI in predicting glaucoma progression may allow clinicians to make more informed decisions regarding the timing of surgical interventions. By leveraging multimodal data, healthcare providers can better assess patient stability and progression, potentially leading to improved outcomes.

Conclusion

AI has the potential to transform glaucoma management by enabling earlier and more accurate predictions of disease progression. Continued development and validation of these models are crucial for their integration into routine clinical practice.

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