Can artificial intelligence with multimodal imaging outperform traditional methods in predicting age-related macular degeneration progression? A systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis.

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss, and its prevalence is expected to rise with aging populations. Early prediction of AMD progression is critical for effective management. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in in detecting and predicting progression of AMD.

Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted from inception to February 7th, 2025. We included five studies that assessed the performance of AI algorithms in predicting AMD progression using multimodal imaging. Data on accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were extracted, and meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 3.7. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic.

Results: Of the five studies, AI models demonstrated superior accuracy (mean difference: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.07; p < 0.00001) and sensitivity (mean difference: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.08; p < 0.00001) compared to retinal specialists. Specificity also showed a minimal but significant advantage for AI (mean difference: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.01; p < 0.00001). Importantly, heterogeneity was minimal to absent across all analyses (I² = 0-0.42%), supporting the reliability and consistency of pooled findings.

Conclusion: AI algorithms outperform retinal specialists in predicting AMD progression, particularly in accuracy and sensitivity. These findings support the potential of AI in AMD prediction; however, given the limited number of included studies, the results should be interpreted as exploratory and in need of validation through future large-scale, prospective studies.