NEI Director Highlights Pediatric Advances, AI’s Promise in Eye Care

At the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2026 Annual Meeting, Michael F. Chiang, MD, director of the National Eye Institute (NEI), discussed his path from academic pediatric ophthalmology to federal research leadership and the NEI-supported work he sees as moving the field forward.

Chiang said his 20-year academic career progressed from clinical practice to running a laboratory, leading a department, and directing national projects. “Ultimately, what I learned [about] myself is that I love defining problems and building teams to solve them, and that’s really what led me to the National Eye Institute,” he said.

Chiang pointed to the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group, an NEI-funded clinical trials network. Because clinicians struggle to track which of its many trials applies to which patient, the group launched a digital tool this year to help diagnose and manage amblyopia.¹ “Research is only important to the extent that it can be used in the real world,” he said.

He also highlighted cerebral visual impairment, a leading cause of childhood vision loss linked to brain injury from prematurity or low oxygen around birth. NEI partnered with 2 other NIH institutes to develop working definitions that Chiang hopes will improve diagnosis and management.²

Chiang noted that the first FDA-authorized autonomous artificial intelligence system in any field of medicine was for diabetic eye disease. He called oculomics, which uses retinal images to predict systemic disease, especially promising. He cited UK research that detected signs of Parkinson disease an average of 7 years before diagnosis.³ If such findings generalize, “that’s a whole new way of thinking about the eye as a window to the rest of the body,” he said.

Chiang also stressed “how important it is for ophthalmologists and scientists to work together to define the problems and solve them together” to develop better drugs, technologies, and diagnostics.

References

1. NEI-supported researchers launch open-access tool to expand access to amblyopia care for children. Eyewire News. June 4, 2026. Accessed October 10, 2026. https://eyewire.news/news/nei-supported-researchers-launch-open-access-tool-to-expand-access-to-amblyopia-care-for-children
2. NIH-led scientific team defines elements of brain-based visual impairment in children. NEI. November 19, 2024. Accessed October 10, 2026. https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/nih-led-scientific-team-defines-elements-brain-based-visual-impairment-children
3. Charters L. Retina biomarkers identified 7 years before clinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Ophthalmology Times^®. Ausst 21, 2023. Accessed October 10, 2026. https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/retina-biomarkers-identified-7-years-before-clinical-diagnosis-of-parkinson-s-disease