Teen builds AI eye-screening app, has examined over 1,650 people in Haryana

Inspired by his grandmother’s battle with diabetic retinopathy, 17-year-old Siddhartha Manaktala taught himself coding and machine learning to develop EyeSpy, an AI-powered Android app that screens for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and other eye ailments. Initial testing showed only 71% accuracy, prompting a collaboration with the L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, which led to a redesigned dual-pipeline model achieving 90.1% accuracy in field validation.

Manaktala has organized four eye-screening camps across rural and suburban Haryana, reaching more than 1,650 people, 99% of whom had never undergone an eye check. The screenings revealed that over 25% had previously undiagnosed eye disease and over 35% had unknown vision problems. To address affordability, he crowdfunded Rs 1 lakh for prescription glasses, eye drops and care kits, and combined screening with awareness drives to combat stigma, especially among young women. The project has earned silver medals at national science fairs, mentorship from L V Prasad Eye Institute and support from Lenskart, and Manaktala plans to expand to more languages and add pediatric screening features.