LV Prasad Eye Institute, Microsoft tie up to use AI to eliminate avoidable blindness

Hyderabad: Continuing to enhance real life impact through technology, Microsoft India, in collaboration with L V Prasad Eye Institute, launched Microsoft Intelligent Network for Eyecare (MINE). This is a mission-driven global consortium of like-minded commercial, research and academic institutions who have joined hands to apply artificial intelligence to help in the elimination of avoidable blindness and scale delivery of eye care services worldwide.

The partner organizations of this consortium include Bascom Palmer - University of Miami, Flaum Eye Institute - University of Rochester (USA), Federal University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Brien Holden Vision Institute (Australia). The partner organizations will collaborate and collectively work on diverse datasets of patients across geographies to come up with machine learning predictive models for vision impairment and eye disease. This will include the rate of change of myopia in children, conditions that impact children’s eyesight, predictive outcomes of refractive surgery, optimal surgery parameters as well as ways to personalize a surgery and maximize its probability of success. By studying this data and applying advanced analytics with Microsoft machine learning technology to derive insights, MINE will aim to drive strategies to prevent avoidable blindness and help increase efficiency in the delivery of eyecare worldwide. Currently 285 million people are visually impaired, of which 55 million reside in India. As the technology driver, Microsoft will deploy its leading cloud platform technology - Cortana Intelligence Suite, for advanced analytics and to build Artificial Intelligence models on eyecare.

Speaking on the occasion, Anil Bhansali, Managing Director, Microsoft India (R&D) Pvt. Ltd., said, “By using our capabilities and pioneering work in the field of machine learning over the years, Microsoft has helped accelerate digital transformation in various key sectors in India, including agriculture and education. Today, I am happy to take forward the work we have done in healthcare with an esteemed set of partners. MINE, a global collaboration, reinforces Microsoft’s belief in the combined power of data, cloud and advanced analytics to drive public good. In our shared vision to eradicate preventive blindness, MINE will help redefine eyecare by bringing together the power of technology and knowledge of global experts.”

“At LVPEI, we have been using Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and Power BI to drive clinical interventions and improve patient outcomes. Today, we take great pride in taking forward our partnership with Microsoft and joining forces with global institutes to revolutionize the field of ophthalmology in India and across the world. We are confident that this partnership will not only open doors to opportunities in the field of eyecare, but also pave way for others to leverage technology to address several other critical eye diseases,” said Dr. G.N. Rao, Founder-Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute.

Joining the event via Skype, Joseph Sirosh, Corporate Vice President of Data Group at Microsoft, said, “At Microsoft, our ambition is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. This unique partnership with LVPEI and the consortium brings the best in the field together to reimagine healthcare using machine learning through the Microsoft CortanaIntelligence Suite. We will continue to drive our investments in cloud, machine learning and advanced analytics to provide the building blocks to empower people and organizations to build, innovate and transform.“

As next steps, MINE will bring together different partner organizations on Azure and collectively work on ideas of impact.