08 May 2025
Transforming eye care through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is the aim of a new company launched through a collaboration between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Topcon Healthcare.
A joint statement from Moorfields, UCL and Topcon highlighted that Cascader Ltd builds on the field of oculomics – using retinal imaging to gain insight into systemic health conditions.
The initial focus of the company will be on macular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration.
“Cascader’s long-term mission is to develop a portfolio of AI tools to support earlier and more accurate detection of disease across the full spectrum of eye care – from High Street optometry to hospital-based specialist clinics –and to further advance oculomics as a foundation for precision medicine,” the statement explained.
Oculomics: a window to overall health
Consultant medical ophthalmologist at Liverpool University Hospitals, Dr Nima Ghadiri, outlined the concept of oculomics to attendees at HSOC 2024
Moorfields Eye Hospital chief executive, Peter Ridley, said that the trust is proud to support the founding of Cascader.
“This new venture represents the next step in our commitment to translating world-class clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and the NHS,” he said.
Topcon Healthcare chief executive, Ali Tafreshi, shared that the initiative supports the broader aim of connecting ocular data to health outcomes.
“Cascader reflects our shared vision of how AI and ocular data can reshape eyecare and enable new frontiers in precision medicine,” he said.
Cascader chief medical adviser and co-founder, Professor Pearse Keane, highlighted that the company is positioned at the intersection of clinical excellence, academic leadership and technological innovation.
“We are building on more than a decade of research into AI and oculomics – fields in which we’ve been proud to lead globally – and are now focused on delivering those discoveries into everyday clinical care,” he said.
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Don Williams16 May 2025
AI is no longer a distant vision, it is the present, actively shaping the way we deliver care across medical disciplines, including ophthalmology. One of the most promising frontiers is oculomics—the use of retinal imaging to detect not only ocular pathology but systemic disease, offering a non-invasive window into cardiovascular, neurological and even renal health.
The launch of Cascader Ltd, a collaboration between Moorfields Eye Hospital, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and Topcon Healthcare, is a major step forward. Their focus on AI-driven tools for earlier and more accurate detection of macular disease is just the beginning. Cascader’s broader mission—to bring AI solutions from the lab to the clinic and advance oculomics as a foundation for precision medicine is visionary and needed.
As someone working in advanced clinical eye care, I strongly support these developments. It’s why I’ve committed to formal training in AI, first through Oxford University and now continuing this journey at the University of Southampton this summer. Understanding and contributing to the ethical, clinical and technical dimensions of AI is essential if we’re to responsibly and meaningfully integrate it into practice.
We are at a turning point in eye care. AI will not replace clinicians, but it will undoubtedly redefine how we work, enhancing accuracy, enabling earlier intervention and ultimately transforming patient outcomes.
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