Toku Eyes’ AI to Predict Heart Conditions via Eye Scans

Last Updated on November 17, 2023 by SPN Editor

It’s a significant leap forward for healthcare as Toku Eyes, a New Zealand-based AI healthcare firm, unveils ORAiCLE™, a groundbreaking platform set to redefine healthcare through advanced Artificial Intelligence technology. Toku Eyes’ AI Platform ORAiCLE™ predicts heart conditions by examining the human eye, introducing a transformative and revolutionary approach to preventive healthcare.

Traditionally seen as a window to the soul, the eye now offers an unprecedented view into overall health. Toku Eyes’ AI platform utilizes non-invasive retina scans to capture crucial insights into the cardiovascular system, enabling early detection of heart-related ailments.

ORAiCLE™ operates by leveraging AI algorithms to detect subtle changes in blood vessels, capillaries, arteries, pigmentation, and calcification within the eye. These nuanced changes serve as key indicators, allowing the platform to assess an individual’s risk of potential cardiovascular events like strokes or heart attacks within a five-year span.

The Toku Eyes’ AI platform’s functionality revolves around a retinal camera, capable of capturing detailed images of the eye’s inner workings. This cutting-edge technology facilitates the test’s administration in various settings, leveraging the portability of modern retinal cameras. The simplicity of operating the camera, along with minimal AI software training requirements, ensures the test’s accessibility for anyone.

Upon image receipt, Toku Eyes’ AI platform rapidly evaluates potential cardiovascular risks or vision impairment. It provides personalized wellness recommendations, lifestyle advice, or specialized referrals for preventive care—achieving results in just seconds.

Pioneering research suggests that ORAiCLE™ outperforms conventional risk calculators used in advanced healthcare systems. This significant leap forward marks a departure from previous inaccurate, expensive, and invasive methods of identifying high-risk individuals.

Apart from its accuracy, the Toku Eyes’ AI is cost-effectiveness and accessibility through pharmacies and self-service retinal photo kiosks offer a promising solution for early heart condition detection—particularly in regions with limited healthcare access.

Behind Toku Eyes’ AI platform’s remarkable journey is Ehsan Vaghefi, CEO, and co-founder, who draws inspiration from his father’s congenital glaucoma-related blindness. Driven by a vision to make healthcare accessible, Vaghefi embarked on a mission to utilize technology and innovation for mass health improvement. His commitment led to the creation of Toku and the development of CLAiR, the main product leveraging AI-powered retina scans to detect cardiovascular risks, including stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Having received an $8 million Series A funding round from U.S. optical retailer National Vision and Japanese firm Topcon Healthcare, Toku recently achieved a breakthrough status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for CLAiR. This designation accelerates the accreditation process, aiming to offer an affordable, non-invasive method for detecting cardiovascular risks through retinal imaging.

While Toku Eyes moves forward, it’s not alone in this revolutionary endeavor. Other players, including Google’s Verily and South Korea-based MediWhale, have ventured into predicting cardiovascular diseases through eye scans. Toku Eyes plans to target asymptomatic adults during routine eye exams, deploying CLAiR at various healthcare facilities and pharmacies equipped with retinal cameras.

Ensuring privacy and data security, Toku complies with regulations like HIPAA and ISO 13483. Patients can request immediate deletion of their data, aligning with data sovereignty requirements in different jurisdictions.

As Toku Eyes pioneers this transformative technology, ORAiCLE™ signifies an exciting future where healthcare is more accessible, precise, and effective, transforming the eye from a mere window to the soul into a powerful gateway to comprehensive health insights.