Artificial Intelligence and Infectious Keratitis: Where Are We Now?

Abstract

Infectious keratitis (IK), which is one of the most common and catastrophic ophthalmic emergencies, accounts for the leading cause of corneal blindness worldwide. Different pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, can cause IK. The diagnosis and etiology detection of IK pose specific challenges, and delayed or incorrect diagnosis can significantly worsen the outcome. Currently, this process is mainly performed based on slit–lamp findings, corneal smear and culture, tissue biopsy, PCR, and confocal microscopy. However, these diagnostic methods have their drawbacks, including experience dependency, tissue damage, cost, and time consumption. Diagnosis and etiology detection of IK can be especially challenging in rural areas or in countries with limited resources. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has opened new windows in medical fields such as ophthalmology. An increasing number of studies have utilized AI in the diagnosis of anterior segment diseases such as IK. Several studies have demonstrated that AI algorithms can diagnose and detect the etiology of IK accurately and fast, which can be valuable, especially in remote areas and in countries with limited resources. Herein, we provided a comprehensive update on the utility of AI in IK.

Application of Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing in the Diagnosis of Infectious Keratitis

“…Additionally, fungi (such as Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., and Fusarium spp. ), viruses (such as herpes simplex virus [HSV]), and parasites (such as Acanthamoeba ) are responsible for infectious keratitis [ 7 ]. Therefore, early identification of the pathogen, treatment with effective drugs, and surgical intervention are important for the successful management of patients with IK.…”