Deep Learning-based Glaucoma Detection Using CNN and Digital Fundus Images: A Promising Approach for Precise Diagnosis

Background: Glaucoma is a significant cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, with symptoms often going undetected until the patient's visual field starts shrinking. Objetive: To develop an AI-based glaucoma detection method to reduce glaucoma-related blindness and offer more precise diagnosis. Methods: Discusses various methods and technologies, including Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and Fundus Photography, for obtaining relevant information about the presence of glaucoma in a patient. Additionally, it mentions the use of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for glaucoma detection. There are many limitations for existing methods as; Asymptomatic Progression, reliance on subjective feedback, multiple tests required, late detection, limited availability of preventive tests, influence of external factors. Results: Findings reveal promising outcomes in terms of glaucoma detection accuracy, particularly in the analysis of the RIM-ONE-r3 dataset. By scrutinizing 20 images from the Healthy, Glaucoma, and Suspects categories through fundus image recognition, our developed AI model consistently achieved high diagnostic accuracy rates. Conclusion: Our study suggests that further enhancements in glaucoma detection accuracy are attainable by augmenting the dataset with additional labeled images. We emphasize the significance of considering various application parameters when discussing the integration of computer-aided decision/management systems into healthcare frameworks.