Key points from article :
A Quebec-based startup named Zilia, co-founded in 2017 by brothers Patrick and Dominic Sauvageau, is pioneering a novel technology that uses light and artificial intelligence to detect early signs of disease—through the eye. Their device, Zilia Ocular, is designed to identify functional biomarkers such as oxygen saturation in the retina, enabling earlier detection of conditions like glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and certain heart diseases—often before physical symptoms appear.
At the core of the technology is ocular spectroscopy, which shines low-intensity light into the eye and analyses how it reflects. This non-invasive method offers a unique window into the body’s blood vessels and nervous system, making it ideal for tracking subtle physiological changes. As Dario Zujo, Zilia’s Director of Business Development, explains, this functional data can detect issues years before structural damage becomes visible, particularly in diseases like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, where conventional diagnostics may fall short.
Zilia’s system is further enhanced by AI, which processes both the spectral data and retinal images to detect disease patterns more quickly and accurately than human analysis alone. The company envisions its device being used not just in eye clinics, but also in general healthcare settings and remote areas—broadening access to early diagnostics.
The device is currently in clinical trials in collaboration with institutions like University of Houston, Université de Montréal, and University of Iowa. Zilia is also working with the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute on underdiagnosed conditions like transthyretin amyloidosis. Encouraging preclinical results in Parkinson’s models point to the technology’s wider potential for detecting neurodegenerative diseases.
While the technology holds great promise for democratizing preventive healthcare, it also raises ethical and cultural questions around diagnosis, communication, and training. Nevertheless, Zilia’s innovation suggests a future where a simple glance into the eye could reveal silent diseases—and stop them in their tracks.
