Roche, Ainnova Tech, and health care insurer Salud 360 have launched a pilot program in Costa Rica aimed at reducing cases of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of preventable blindness in adults with diabetes. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced imaging technology, the initiative seeks to improve early detection and access to care. Early detection is critical, as the World Health Organization estimates 80% of blindness caused by diabetes is preventable with timely intervention.

In Costa Rica, diabetes affects 10.4% of adults, and up to 40% of those patients are at risk for diabetic retinopathy, according to the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health. The pilot program will deploy nonmydriatic fundus cameras to capture detailed images of patients’ retinas. These images will be analyzed by Ainnova’s AI technology to identify microscopic retinal changes, an early indicator of diabetic retinopathy. Salud 360 patients will be the first to access this screening, with at-risk individuals referred to specialists for further care.

If successful, the pilot program could expand to other regions, including the United States, Canada, and Europe, under a partnership with Ainnova and Avant Technologies, offering a scalable approach to combat preventable blindness globally, the company said in a press release.