AI Screening for Childhood Blindness Begins in Mongolia

Orbis International and Siloam Vision have begun using artificial intelligence to screen premature infants in Mongolia for retinopathy of prematurity, the leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide, announced in a press release. The screening took place at the National Center for Maternal and Child Health in Ulaanbaatar.

The program combines Orbis’s long term eye care initiatives with Siloam Vision’s proprietary AI technology and telemedicine platform, iTelegen. The AI system assists ophthalmologists by reviewing retinal images captured with specialized cameras that attach to mobile phones, allowing for rapid assessments and immediate feedback to parents.

This marks the first time AI has been used to support retinopathy of prematurity screening in low and middle income countries. Since the program’s launch, over 270 exams have been conducted on more than 170 newborns. The initiative also includes training for doctors from remote provinces to expand screening access throughout Mongolia.

Following its introduction in Mongolia, Orbis and Siloam Vision plan to extend the program to Bangladesh, where the first AI supported screenings are scheduled in Dhaka later this month.