A scoping review of advancements in machine learning for glaucoma: current trends and future direction

Machine learning technology has demonstrated significant potential in glaucoma research, particularly in early diagnosis, predicting disease progression, evaluating treatment responses, and developing personalized treatment strategies. The application of machine learning not only enhances the understanding of the pathological mechanism of glaucoma and optimizes the diagnostic process but also provides patients with accurate medical services.

This study aimed to describe the current state of research, highlight directions for further development, and identify potential trends for improvement. This review was conducted following the scoping review of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension to showcase advancements in the application of machine learning in glaucoma research and treatment.

We employed a comprehensive search strategy to retrieve literature from the Web of Science Core Collection database, ultimately including 3,581 articles in the analysis. Through data analysis, we identified current research hotspots, noted differences in researchers' attitudes and opinions, and predicted potential future development trends.

We divided the research topics into six categories, clearly identifying "eye diseases", "retinal fundus imaging" and "risk factors" as the key terms for the development of this field. These findings signify the promising prospects of machine learning, particularly when integrated with multimodal technologies and large language models, to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.