Comparison of the Performance of Convolutional Neural Networks and Vision Transformer-Based Systems for Automated Glaucoma Detection with Eye Fundus Images

Abstract

Glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve, is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The early detection of glaucoma is a challenge, which in recent years has driven the study and application of Deep Learning (DL) techniques in the automatic classification of eye fundus images. Among these intelligent systems, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) stand out, although alternatives have recently appeared, such as Vision Transformers (ViTs) or hybrid systems, which are also highly efficient in image processing. The question that arises in the face of so many emerging methods is whether all these new techniques are really more efficient for the problem of glaucoma diagnosis than the CNNs that have been used so far. In this article, we present a comprehensive comparative study of all these DL models in glaucoma detection, with the aim of elucidating which strategies are significantly better. Our main conclusion is that there are no significant differences between the efficiency of both DL strategies for the medical diagnostic problem addressed.