Health
Eye Care Technology in Singapore: What Is Used Today
A look at eye care technology in Singapore, including AI screening for diabetic eye disease, and how to choose an eye clinic or optical shop.
- By the Lookup team
- Updated
- 2 min read
Singapore has a strong eye research and clinical base, with institutions such as the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI). This article covers the technology we could verify and what to look for when choosing an eye care provider. It is general information, not medical advice.
AI screening for diabetic eye disease
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of vision loss in people with diabetes, and Singapore screens for it through the Singapore Integrated Diabetic Retinopathy Program (SiDRP), a telemedicine programme in primary care. An AI system called SELENA+, developed by teams from NUS Computing, SNEC and SERI, has been deployed nationally in a semi-automated triage model. A published economic analysis estimated about a 20% reduction in screening costs compared with fully manual grading.
SERI is also running a randomised trial of AI-assisted glaucoma screening within the same diabetic screening programme (registered as NCT07243665 and recruiting as of January 2026).
What this means for patients
AI is used here to help grade retinal photographs and flag cases for human review. It does not replace an eye exam. If you have diabetes, regular retinal screening is recommended, and your doctor or polyclinic can arrange it.
Common technology at eye clinics
Many clinics use digital retinal imaging, optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of the retina and optic nerve, and automated visual field tests. Availability varies by clinic, so ask which tests are included in an eye exam and what they cost.
Choosing an eye clinic or optical shop
- Ask whether an ophthalmologist or an optometrist will see you, and which one you need. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who treat eye disease and perform surgery.
- Ask what tests are included and the total cost before you book.
- For glasses and contact lenses, ask for a written prescription so you can compare shops.
- Check that the clinic is licensed. You can look up healthcare institutions on the Ministry of Health's licensing information.
- Get a second opinion before any elective surgery.
Sources
- NUS News, "AI system for better eye screening"
- Economic analysis of AI in the national diabetic retinopathy programme, PubMed (PMID 33328056)
- ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT07243665