Orbis International announced in a press release that it has partnered with Siloam Vision to become the first in the world to use assistive artificial intelligence (AI) to support clinicians in screening infants for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
The screening took place at the National Center for Maternal and Child Health (NCMCH) neonatal intensive care unit in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Among the first babies screened for ROP using AI were fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. Their mother, Otgonchimeg, said she was deeply worried when they were born prematurely, knowing that ROP can progress quickly and cause blindness if it is not detected and treated in time. Her twins were screened alongside several other premature babies at the hospital.
The screening was conducted as part of a hands-on training session with local ophthalmologists and marked the launch of the new program, which is delivered through Siloam Vision's proprietary telemedicine platform, iTelegen, with ongoing research at NCMCH. According to the Orbis Mongolia and NCMCH teams, the program represents another important step in their shared mission to build a stronger eyecare system that delivers high-quality, sustainable care for all throughout their lifetime.
As part of the initiative, doctors from remote provinces have been trained to use specialized cameras that attach to a cell phone, capturing retinal images that can be reviewed through telemedicine. These images will be sent to NCMCH, where telemedicine tools will assist ophthalmologists in diagnosing ROP and other eye conditions. The hospital emphasizes that the AI being implemented is not replacing the specialist, but is instead helping to provide additional guidance to ophthalmologists in their clinical decision-making.
Otgonchimeg, who once worked at NCMCH, where she later gave birth, understood firsthand what was at stake for premature babies and their vision. When she was an employee, the hospital screened for ROP, but the process relied on a highly skilled ophthalmologist who often needed days to review images while balancing the needs other patients. Now, the hospital has integrated AI into its screening workflow, enabling results to be reviewed within seconds. This means that mothers like Otgonchimeg can receive results immediately and move quickly to schedule any needed follow-up care, without losing precious time.
"As a mother, it was great to hear that they were okay, as there had been concerns that wearing a mask [with oxygen] too much could seriously affect the twins' vision, to cause blindness," she said.
Orbis-trained eyecare professionals in Mongolia have conducted more than 270 exams on more than 170 newborn babies since the launch of the AI program. Orbis and Siloam Vision are also expanding the program to elsewhere in Asia, including Bangladesh, where the first babies are scheduled to be screened in Dhaka this month, according to the press release.