New company launched to advance AI-driven eyecare

Moorfields Eye Hospital, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO) and Topcon Healthcare are together launching Cascader Limited, a new medical technology company based in London that will transform the detection and management of eye diseases through artificial intelligence (AI). This will include the field of oculomics (the use of advanced retinal imaging to understand systemic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration and dementia).

Cascader brings together the world-leading clinical research and medical AI expertise at Moorfields and UCL IoO and the global reach and technical capabilities of Topcon Healthcare, which supplies ophthalmic imaging equipment to eye care clinics in community and hospital settings worldwide.

This will mean that these diagnostic algorithms, developed at Moorfields and UCL IoO and currently used for research purposes only, can benefit more patients more quickly in the UK and internationally.

The revenue generated from this new partnership will benefit the NHS and patients.

Pearse Keane, consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital and professor of artificial medical intelligence at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology will be chief medical advisor of the new company, and Peter Thomas, consultant ophthalmologist and chief clinical information officer at Moorfields Eye Hospital, will be its chief executive officer. 

Chief executive Peter Ridley said: "We are proud to support the founding of Cascader. This new venture represents the next step in our commitment to translating world-class clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and the NHS."

6 May 2025

Moorfields Eye Hospital, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Topcon Healthcare, Inc. launch Cascader Limited to advance AI- driven eyecare and Oculomics

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO), and Topcon Healthcare today announced the launch of Cascader Limited, a new medical technology company that aims to transform the detection and management of eye disease through artificial intelligence (AI). Cascader 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 represents a strategic partnership between world-leading academic and clinical institutions and a global healthcare technology provider. The company combines the pioneering AI research and translational expertise of Moorfields and UCL IoO 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 IoO, including the 2016 collaboration with Google DeepMind and the development of RETFound, the first foundation model in ophthalmology, published in Nature in 2023.

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.

Cascader marks a significant step in translating Oculomics into clinical care and aligns with broader global efforts - including Topcon Healthcare’s Healthcare from the Eye™ initiative - to harness ocular data as a gateway to more proactive, connected, and equitable healthcare.

Peter Ridley, Chief Executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital:

"We are proud to support the founding of Cascader. This new venture represents the next step in our commitment to translating world-class clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and the NHS."

Ali Tafreshi, Chief Executive Officer, Topcon Healthcare:

"Topcon is thrilled to partner with Moorfields and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology on this groundbreaking initiative. Cascader reflects our shared vision of how AI and ocular data can reshape eyecare and enable new frontiers in precision medicine. This collaboration supports the broader mission of connecting ocular data to better health outcomes - both within eyecare and beyond."

Mark Fisher, Associate Director at UCLB:

“UCLB is delighted to have played a role in the establishment in this new company alongside Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Topcon Inc. Partnering with industrial leaders in the new area of oculomics should accelerate routes to market for AI technologies and break down the barriers of AI applications in healthcare. It exemplifies the benefits of close relationships between academics and clinicians in creating technologies that will bring major benefits to patients as a result of earlier diagnosis in a range of diseases.”

Professor Pearse Keane, Chief Medical Advisor and co-founder of Cascader; consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital; professor of artificial medical intelligence at UCL IoO:

"Cascader is uniquely positioned at the intersection of clinical excellence, academic leadership, and technological innovation. We are building on more than a decade of research into AI and Oculomics - fields in which we’ve been proud to lead globally - and are now focused on delivering those discoveries into everyday clinical care."

Dr. Peter Thomas, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Cascader; consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital:

"We have a huge opportunity to reshape how eye care is delivered by bringing AI to frontline services - whether in hospitals, clinics, or the high street. Cascader will play a key role in translating groundbreaking research into real-world tools that support both patients and professionals."

Ege Ilicak, Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Cascader:

“At Cascader, our mission is to turn cutting-edge research into clinically robust, scalable solutions that improve lives. With deep experience in medical engineering, we’re focused on ensuring that our AI-driven tools meet the highest quality and regulatory standards, while integrating seamlessly into real-world workflows—supporting professionals and empowering patients.”

For further information, please contact moorfields.pressoffice@nhs.net or Leslie Amodei at lamodei@topcon.com 

Cascader’s founding team brings together deep expertise across the clinical, technical, and operational spectrum:

• Professor Pearse Keane, a global leader in ophthalmic AI and Oculomics, has led pioneering research at Moorfields and UCL IoO, including co-inventing RETFound, the world’s first foundation model in ophthalmology, and extensive work defining the field of Oculomics.
• Dr Peter Thomas, brings extensive experience in developing and delivering innovative healthcare services powered by technology, leading digital transformation programmes, and holding executive and national leadership roles within the NHS.
• Ege Ilicak, chief operating officer, brings 15 years of experience in the medical engineering field, from hands-on software development to managing large-scale projects and building quality management systems to bring healthcare innovations successfully to market.

About Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the leading providers of eye health services in the UK and a world class centre of excellence for ophthalmic research and education. Our main focus is the treatment and care of NHS patients with a wide range of eye problems, from common complaints to rare conditions that require treatment not available elsewhere in the UK. Our unique patient case mix and the number of people we treat mean that our clinicians have expertise in discrete ophthalmic sub-specialties.

We treat people in 20 locations in and around London, the south east and Bedford, enabling us to provide expert treatment closer to patients’ homes. We also operate commercial divisions that provide care to private patients in both London and the Middle East.

With our academic partners at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Moorfields is recognised as a leading centre of excellence in eye and vision research. Together we form one of the largest ophthalmic research sites in the world, with the largest patient population in Europe or the USA. We publish more scientific papers than any other eye and vision research site and have an extensive joint research portfolio.

About UCL Institute of Ophthalmology

The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is one of a number of specialised research centres within UCL (University College London) and is, together with Moorfields Eye Hospital, one of the leading centres for eye research worldwide. The combination of the institute’s research with the resources of Moorfields Eye Hospital opens the way for advances at the forefront of vision research. Close collaboration with other academic partners and with industry extends its impact. The institute has been named as the best place to study ophthalmology in the 2017 Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR).

For further information, please visit www.ucl.ac.uk  Follow @ucleye on Twitter.

About UCL (University College London)

UCL is a diverse global community of world-class academics, students, industry links, external partners, and alumni. Our powerful collective of individuals and institutions work together to explore new possibilities.

Since 1826, we have championed independent thought by attracting and nurturing the world's best minds. Our community of more than 50,000 students from 150 countries and over 16,000 staff pursues academic excellence, breaks boundaries and makes a positive impact on real world problems.

The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024, we are consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world and are one of only a handful of institutions rated as having the strongest academic reputation and the broadest research impact.

We have a progressive and integrated approach to our teaching and research – championing innovation, creativity and cross-disciplinary working. We teach our students how to think, not what to think, and see them as partners, collaborators and contributors.

For almost 200 years, we are proud to have opened higher education to students from a wide range of backgrounds and to change the way we create and share knowledge.

We were the first in England to welcome women to university education and that courageous attitude and disruptive spirit is still alive today. We are UCL. www.ucl.ac.uk  | Read news at www.ucl.ac.uk/news/  | Follow UCL News on Bluesky and LinkedIn

About Topcon Healthcare

Topcon Healthcare, Inc. is part of Topcon Corporation, a leading provider of digital healthcare solutions. Our vision is to improve access and quality of healthcare while decreasing the cost of care. To achieve this vision, we created "Healthcare from the Eye™, a connected care ecosystem using AI-powered disease detection and management applied to non-invasive retinal imaging. For more information, visit topconhealthcare.com/ 

About the INSIGHT Health Data Research Hub

INSIGHT is the world's largest ophthalmic imaging bioresource, with over 35 million eye images linked to clinical data. An NHS initiative led by Moorfields in partnership with University Hospitals Birmingham, INSIGHT makes routinely collected patient eye data available for approved research that could lead to improvements in diagnosis, care and treatment of eye diseases, as well as systemic disease such as stroke and Alzheimer’s. INSIGHT’s mission is to improve healthcare by making it simpler for researchers to use large, anonymised sets of patient data in a safe and ethical way.