Projects

ECOO develops and takes forward projects that advance the role of optometry and optics in Europe.

Current project: I-SCREEN

ECOO is part of a multidisciplinary consortium, led by the Medical University in Vienna, working on the EU-funded I-SCREEN project to develop an efficient and cost-effective AI-based infrastructure for the early detection of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and the monitoring of disease progression. This project launched at the beginning of 2024.

ECOO is leading Work Package 4, which centres on establishing and managing a network of optical and optometric practices to collect Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images from individuals aged 55 and older who still have good functional vision. The objective is to screen 5,000 patients, with the OCT images uploaded via a specifically designed platform to the retinal experts at the Medical University of Vienna for review. The findings will assess the feasibility of using AI to detect retinal changes and identify early and intermediate AMD in cost-effective, community-based imaging.

Matjaž Mihelčič, ECOO Immediate Past President and leader of Work Package 4, comments:

“Developments in technology used in eye care, combined with a growing interest across European countries in providing integrated, patient-centred care, represent a key momentum for European optometry to be at the forefront of shaping the future of eye care. The I-SCREEN project is doing exactly that and will ultimately empower local eye care professionals to combine their professional skills and access to the patients with cutting-edge AI technology. It will pilot an efficient referral pathway for patients with ocular conditions which might occasionally be detected in asymptomatic patients, in community-based practices.”

The project is funded by EU’s Horizon Europe programme under the EIC Pathfinder call, which is designed to support ground breaking innovations in deep-tech fields, promoting high-risk, high-reward research that addresses global challenges. These calls encourage visionary ideas with the potential for transformative impact, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and pioneering solutions. As part of this call, ECOO has received funding for this project from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education Research and Innovation (SERI).

ECOO information and updates:

  • December 2024 project update here.
  • Project launch press release, issued on 2 April 2024.

For further information about the project