Artificial intelligence detects biological aging with retina scan

Scientists from Seoul National University in South Korea have determined that individuals' biological aging rate and hidden health risks can be detected with a new artificial intelligence-supported retina scanning method that examines the back layer of the eye.

In the research, the artificial intelligence system, trained with approximately 30 thousand retina scans, was tested on approximately 15 thousand different eye scans. The model was reported to accurately predict people's true chronological age with a margin of error of 2.5 to 2.7 years.

In the study, it was determined that the 'Retinal Age Difference' value, which measures the difference between a person's calendar age and the biological age shown by the eye, is directly related to lifestyle and chronic diseases.

According to the data, the retina of diabetic patients is on average 2.52 years older than the calendar age; It was determined that smoking adds approximately half a year of biological age to the retina, and macular degeneration adds 0.6 years of biological age to the retina.

Pointing out that the retina is a tissue directly connected to the brain and cardiovascular system in terms of its vascular structure, the researchers stated that this scanning technology can be used in routine eye examinations.

Experts say that fundus examinations not only detect visual impairments; He stated that it can serve as a practical biological indicator in early diagnosis of premature aging in the body, cardiovascular risks and systemic internal diseases that have not yet shown clinical symptoms.