Multiple model visual feature embedding and selection method for an efficient oncular disease classification

Early detection of ocular diseases is vital to preventing severe complications, yet it remains challenging due to the need for skilled specialists, complex imaging processes, and limited resources. Automated solutions are essential to enhance diagnostic precision and support clinical workflows. This study presents a deep learning-based system for automated classification of ocular diseases using the Ocular Disease Intelligent Recognition (ODIR) dataset. The dataset includes 5,000 patient fundus images labeled into eight categories of ocular diseases. Initial experiments utilized transfer learning models such as DenseNet201, EfficientNetB3, and InceptionResNetV2. To optimize computational efficiency, a novel two-level feature selection framework combining Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and advanced neural network classifiers-Deep Neural Networks (DNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM)-was introduced. Among the tested approaches, the "Combined Data" strategy utilizing features from all three models achieved the best results, with the BiLSTM classifier attaining 100% accuracy, precision, and recall on the training set, and over 98% performance on the validation set. The LDA-based framework significantly reduced computational complexity while enhancing classification accuracy. The proposed system demonstrates a scalable, efficient solution for ocular disease detection, offering robust support for clinical decision-making. By bridging the gap between clinical demands and technological capabilities, it has the potential to alleviate the workload of ophthalmologists, particularly in resource-constrained settings, and improve patient outcomes globally.