Cascader Limited, a partnership between the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Topcon Healthcare, also builds on the growing field of oculomics the use of advanced retinal imaging to uncover insights into systemic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and dementia.

Cascader combines the pioneering AI research and translational expertise of UCL and Moorfields with the technical capabilities and international reach of Topcon Healthcare, a provider of ophthalmic imaging systems used in hospitals and community clinics around the world. UCL Business (UCLB), the commercialisation company for UCL and its partner hospitals, was also instrumental in the set-up of the new venture. Headquartered in London, Cascader is focused on accelerating the translation of cutting-edge AI from research into real-world clinical tools so that novel diagnostic technologies can reach patients faster.

Its initial focus will be on macular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of irreversible vision loss that affects one in eight people over the age of 60. This builds on landmark work led by Moorfields and UCL, including a collaboration with Google DeepMind and the development of RETFound, the first foundation model in ophthalmology.

Cascader’s long-term mission is to develop a portfolio of AI tools to support earlier and more accurate detection of disease across the full spectrum of eye care from high-street optometry to hospital-based specialist clinics—and to further advance oculomics as a foundation for precision medicine. Cascader will be supported by the INSIGHT Health Data Research Hub, the world’s largest ophthalmic imaging bioresource, led by Moorfields. INSIGHT comprises over 35 million retinal images linked to clinical metadata and enables secure, anonymised data access for approved researchers supported by advanced AI infrastructure, curation services, and active patient involvement.

Source: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/may/advancing-ai-driven-eyecare-innovation