Topcon Healthcare Acquires Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems
Topcon Healthcare announced the acquisition of Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems (IRIS), a US-based provider of cloud-based retinal screening technology. FInancial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
IRIS brings retinal screenings into routine clinical settings. It aims to empower primary care physicians, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and health systems to identify undiagnosed retinal disease as part of standard preventive care. Its platform features EMR integration, AI-assisted diagnostics, and broad camera compatibility, enabling providers to screen for diabetic retinopathy and other conditions efficiently and at scale.
By integrating IRIS into its Healthcare from the Eye initiative, Topcon said it is further strengthening bidirectional care coordination between primary care providers (PCPs) and eye care providers (ECPs). This acquisition supports the vision of a connected care model in which patients at risk for eye diseases can be identified earlier in primary care and referred to ECPs for timely diagnosis and treatment. In turn, ECPs using AI-analyzed ocular data to detect signs of systemic or neurological disease will be better equipped to refer patients back to primary care for further evaluation, creating a feedback loop that enhances outcomes and closes care gaps.
“This acquisition reflects our long-term strategy to connect the continuum of care through intelligent platforms that bring together data, workflow, and real-time decision support,” Jacques Gilbert, Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer at Topcon Healthcare, said in a company news release.
The IRIS platform will also enhance Harmony, Topcon Healthcare’s cloud-based connected care platform. Harmony is designed to unify imaging, clinical insights, and AI analytics across care settings. With the integration of IRIS’s referral and communication capabilities, Harmony will provide a more robust infrastructure to support shared clinical decision-making, improve compliance, and reduce patient leakage across the healthcare continuum, according to Topcon.
“IRIS enables us to expand the reach of the 'Healthcare from the Eye' initiative into primary care, strengthening coordination between PCPs and ECPs, and ensuring patients receive timely, targeted care,” Mr. Gilbert said.
Since its founding in 2012, IRIS has enabled more than 1.8 million screenings, identified over 279,000 cases of diabetic retinopathy, and supported more than 650 healthcare organizations in improving quality scores and addressing care gaps. The IRIS team will continue operating from its headquarters in Pensacola, Florida, as an affiliate of Topcon Healthcare.