SCONe achieves millionth image milestone and launches animation to promote eye health

A pioneering Scottish research initiative that set out to safeguard retinal images for future innovation in eye health, has reached a significant milestone.

With more than one million retinal images now securely collected, the SCONe (Scottish Collaborative Optometry-Ophthalmology Network eResearch) project is helping researchers move closer to supporting clinicians in making earlier diagnoses of debilitating eye diseases and related conditions. The resource is also revealing new insights into eye and systemic diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cardiovascular disease and dementia.

Over the past five years, the SCONe resource has successfully grown from an initial proof of concept to a world-leading project. More than one million retinal images from optometry practices around Scotland have now been safely delivered to Public Health Scotland’s National Safe Haven, a secure data environment for clinical research.

One of the key aims in the creation and growth of the SCONe repository is to safeguard retinal images captured in community optometry practices as a highly valuable clinical research resource for improving public health across the population.

This innovative project will undoubtedly improve public health and fast track vital healthcare research. One of the many benefits of the repository comes from the presence of many images without or before clinical diagnosis. 

With the repository including representation from 10 of the 14 Health Board areas in Scotland, the secured data, in conjunction with the latest advances in Artificial Intelligence for medical image analysis, are extremely valuable for developing new diagnostic tools and refining important time points in clinical care pathways where there is a need for monitoring, referral and intervention.

We have focussed on data security at all stages of the process of creating this invaluable retinal image repository from collection all the way through to analysis. Inside the National Safe Haven, multiple layers of protection are in place around the use of the images, including the removal of all directly identifiable information, creating a resource which can support a wide range of research in the public benefit while people’s privacy is protected.

Professor Baljean Dhillon SCONe project co-founder

At present, only current approved members of the SCONe research team have permitted access to the data within the National Safe Haven. However, in conjunction with Public Health Scotland and Research Data Scotland, researchers are now working towards a mechanism to allow tightly controlled, secure access to the repository for strictly approved and appropriately qualified researchers, to widen its potential to benefit the public through important and meaningful research.

Working with patients and the public

In developing their research, the SCONe team has consulted patients and members of the public to gauge support and identify priorities. A Patient and Public Involvement Group meets regularly and, together with SCONe researchers, has co-designed research and public engagement work to help promote eye health as an important part of general health.

This collaboration has led to a new animated video highlighting the importance of routine eye examinations for both eye and general health. The short animation encourages everyone to attend regular eye examinations and raises awareness of how routine eye checks can detect early signs of wider health issues — helping to protect not just vision, but overall wellbeing.

Next steps

The SCONe team’s initial analyses on disease prediction are producing very promising results, which will be published as soon as they are ready to share and have undergone peer review.

The researchers are extremely grateful to the Scottish optometrists and optometry practices who came forward to participate, without whom this project would not have been possible. The team continues to welcome new partners and collaborators to help achieve full coverage of Scotland and to continue this valuable health research for the public good.

About the SCONe project

SCONe was established in 2020 as a joint initiative by The University of Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian University. Originally funded by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Sight Scotland, Fight for Sight, NHS Lothian Charity, the Chief Scientist Office, and The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust, the project set out to build a secure national resource for retinal imaging data that could support innovation in clinical research.

Further information

SCONe | Clinical Sciences

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