Dual Machine-Learning System to Aid Glaucoma Diagnosis Using Disc and Cup Feature Extraction

Javier Civit-Masot,Anton Civit,Saturnino Vicente-Diaz,Manuel J Dominguez-Morales

doi:10.1109/access.2020.3008539

Abstract

Glaucoma is a degenerative disease that affects vision, causing damage to the optic nerve that ends in vision loss. The classic techniques to detect it have undergone a great change since the intrusion of machine learning techniques into the processing of eye fundus images. Several works focus on training a convolutional neural network (CNN) by brute force, while others use segmentation and feature extraction techniques to detect glaucoma. In this work, a diagnostic aid tool to detect glaucoma using eye fundus images is developed, trained and tested. It consists of two subsystems that are independently trained and tested, combining their results to improve glaucoma detection. The first subsystem applies machine learning and segmentation techniques to detect optic disc and cup independently, combine them and extract their physical and positional features. The second one applies transfer learning techniques to a pre-trained CNN to detect glaucoma through the analysis of the complete eye fundus images. The results of both systems are combined to discriminate positive cases of glaucoma and improve final detection. The results show that this system achieves a higher classification rate than previous works. The system also provides information on the basis for the proposed diagnosis suggestion that can help the ophthalmologist to accept or modify it.

Highlights

The term Glaucoma is used for a group of progressive neuropathies that affects vision and is characterized by loss of retinal ganglion cells and damage to the optic nerve head, causing loss of the visual field and, blindness [1]
Open-angle glaucoma (OAG): the most common form of glaucoma. It is caused by the slow clogging of the drainage canals, resulting in increased eye pressure. ‘‘Open-angle’’ means that the angle where the iris meets the cornea is as wide and open as it should be
Angle-closure glaucoma (ACG): It is caused by blocked drainage canals, resulting in a sudden rise in intraocular pressure

Summary

Introduction

The term Glaucoma is used for a group of progressive neuropathies that affects vision (mostly bilateral) and is characterized by loss of retinal ganglion cells and damage to the optic nerve head, causing loss of the visual field and, blindness [1]. It is one of the main causes of irreversible visual damage and blindness worldwide (second leading cause in Europe). Open-angle glaucoma (OAG): the most common form of glaucoma (at least 90% of all glaucoma cases) It is caused by the slow clogging of the drainage canals, resulting in increased eye pressure. The global disease burden of blindness and visual impairment due to glaucoma has been shown to be significantly associated with a decrease in quality of life, physical functioning and mental health [5]–[7]

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