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HONG KONG: A Hong Kong scientist has developed a method to use machine learning and artificial intelligence to scan the retinas of children as young as six for early autism or risk of autism and hopes to develop a commercial product this year.
Eye scanning of the retina can help improve early detection and treatment outcomes for children, said Benny Zee, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
“The importance of starting early intervention is that they are still growing, they are still developing. So there is a greater chance of success, ”Zee said.
His method uses a high-resolution camera with new computer software that analyzes a combination of factors, including the layers of fibers and blood vessels in the eye.
The technology can be used to identify children at risk for autism and incorporate them into treatment programs earlier, Zee said.
Seventy children were tested with the technology, 46 with autism, and a control group of 24. The technology was able to identify children with autism 95.7 percent of the time. The average age examined was 13 years, the youngest being six years old.
Zee’s findings have been published in EClinicalMedicine, a peer-reviewed medical journal.
Autism specialists welcomed their findings, but said high stigma remained, as parents are often reluctant to believe that their children have autism even when there are clear signs.
“Many times, parents will initially refuse,” said Dr. Caleb Knight, who runs a private autism therapy center.
“If I had a medical test or a biological marker like this, it could make it easier for parents not to refuse for longer periods and therefore the child would receive treatment more quickly.”
Children with autism have to wait around 80 weeks to see a public health specialist, according to an emailed statement from the Hong Kong government.
Zee told Reuters that his research is intended to be a complementary tool to a professional evaluation conducted by licensed healthcare professionals. – Reuters
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