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At Zaporizhzhia Regional Clinical Hospital, the pilot phase of diabetic retinopathy screening using the ITU Member CheckEye AI platform has been successfully completed.
For over two months, outpatients underwent examinations that identified retinal damage before clinical symptoms appeared. An AI-powered digital platform detected signs of potentially sight-threatening complications in one out of every ten patients screened.
According to international data, up to 90% of vision loss cases caused by diabetic retinopathy can be prevented through timely detection and treatment. In Zaporizhzhia, signs of severe retinal damage were found in nearly one in ten patients who previously had no specific complaints.
The results showed that over 9% of those examined had signs of diabetic retinopathy of varying severity. Screening was conducted among both diagnosed diabetes patients and those potentially at risk but undiagnosed. Notably, several cases of retinal damage were found in people without a diabetes diagnosis, highlighting the value of such screening as a primary prevention tool.
Type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed at the stage of chronic complications. Patients come to the doctor not only with diabetic symptoms, but also with damage to various organs and systems – deteriorating vision, skin trophic disorders, circulatory issues. In such cases, treatment is less effective. That’s why we highly value the results of this pilot screening project using CheckEye. AI-powered screening technology allows us to detect risks before symptoms appear and promptly refer patients for further examination and treatment. We are already planning to scale up the project to make early diagnosis accessible to more patients,
commented Dr. Olena Soloviuk, PhD in Medicine, Medical Director of Zaporizhzhia Regional Clinical Hospital.
The screening was conducted by junior medical staff without the need to involve ophthalmologists directly. Thanks to the speed of CheckEye’s algorithms, diagnostic results were provided to patients in less than 30 seconds, enabling prompt referrals for secondary care and further treatment.
Zaporizhzhia urgently needs support due to its proximity to the frontline. At the same time, we see remarkable openness and readiness from local primary care centers to implement new solutions. This is not just a technical integration – it’s a joint effort by doctors, nurses, and local managers who want change. By introducing innovations, we are making an important shift from reactive to preventive medicine. Our goal is not to wait until the disease causes damage, but to act in advance. This is a fundamental change in the healthcare approach, and we will continue to scale this experience across Ukraine,
said Kyrylo Goncharuk, CEO & Founder of CheckEye.
CheckEye is a Ukrainian technology that has already proven its effectiveness under increased pressure on the healthcare system. Its key advantage is the ability to quickly scale screening among at-risk groups without additional resources.
The Zaporizhzhia project is part of a broader effort to shape a new model of preventive medicine in Ukraine. Similar solutions are already being implemented in different regions, bringing real benefits to both patients and the healthcare system. They not only expand screening capabilities but also significantly ease the workload of doctors, providing them with an effective decision-support tool for fast, accurate, and evidence-based clinical decisions.
