Coming soonEye checks by phone

Three eye checks. Just your phone.

Iris is exploring one 30-second phone scan that looks for signs linked to diabetes, glaucoma and cataracts, using only your camera and screen light. It's a student research project, and all three checks are coming soon.

A woman holding her phone up at eye level, looking at the screen
Interactive

Meet the reflex
Iris will measure

Move your cursor and the eye follows you. Press flash and watch the pupil shrink a quarter of a second later, then slowly relax. This reflex drives two of the three checks: how it reacts (diabetes) and whether both eyes react evenly (glaucoma). The flash photo is used for the third (cataracts).

Pupil size46%

Three checks

One scan, three things to look for

Each check reuses the same light and camera. None of them can diagnose anything. They're meant to tell you when it's worth seeing a doctor, and we're honest about how far along each one is.

01

Diabetes

Pupil light reflex

How big your pupils are at rest, and how far, how fast and how soon they shrink after a flash.

Why it matters
About 40 million Americans have diabetes and around 11 million don't know it yet (CDC, 2023 data).
Evidence Research question
Clinic pupillometer studies found weaker, slower reactions on average in people with diabetes. No one has shown yet how well a phone can do this. That's our main experiment.
Limits
Groups overlap, so it can't say yes or no for one person, and a typical result doesn't rule diabetes out.

If flagged: A blood test such as A1C

02

Glaucoma

Left vs right reaction

How strongly your pupils react when only your left eye is lit, compared with only your right eye.

Why it matters
More than half of people with glaucoma don't know they have it. It steals side vision slowly and without pain.
Evidence Known test, new device
It's the phone version of a test eye doctors use (the swinging flashlight test). Early studies with phone pupillometers are promising but small.
Limits
It only notices damage that's worse in one eye, and other optic-nerve problems can look the same.

If flagged: An eye exam (eye pressure and optic nerve)

03

Cataracts

Lens cloudiness

Whether the pupil looks hazy, gray or patchy in the flash photo instead of clear and dark.

Why it matters
Cataracts are very common with age and the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and surgery can fix them.
Evidence Best studied
Several phone + AI studies matched eye doctors about 90% of the time, mostly with controlled lighting. Iris would reuse the same flash photos.
Limits
Works best for advanced cataracts; glare and lighting can look like haze, and early ones may be missed.

If flagged: An eye exam

Only a doctor can diagnose diabetes, glaucoma or cataracts. See the studies

How it will work

About 30 seconds, any phone

Step 1

Line up

Dim room, phone at eye level, both eyes in the frame.

Step 2

One flash, both eyes

Records the pupil reflex and takes the flash photos.

Step 3

One flash per eye

Cover one eye, then the other, to compare left and right.

Step 4

Three results

Each check says “looks typical” or “see a doctor”, in plain words.

Coming soon

A sneak peek at the app

One scan, about 30 seconds, three checks. This is how it's planned to feel. Everything here is example data while we test on real phones.

9:41

Step 1 of 4

Line up your eyes

Dim room, phone at eye level

Face found Eyes open Good distance Pupils visible
Start scan

Diabetes

Pupil light reflex

How big your pupils are at rest, and how far, how fast and how soon they shrink after a flash.

Glaucoma

Left vs right reaction

How strongly your pupils react when only your left eye is lit, compared with only your right eye.

Cataracts

Lens cloudiness

Whether the pupil looks hazy, gray or patchy in the flash photo instead of clear and dark.

Concept preview with example data. Not a health assessment. The final app may look different.

Why it matters

Ideas that guide Iris

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
BF
Benjamin FranklinInventor and Founding Father1735
3planned checks
Phone onlyhardware goal
Researchcurrent stage

01 / 03

Roadmap

What we're building, and when

From research to a free app, one careful step at a time. Dates are goals and may change as we learn.

Fall 2026

Now

Research and concept

Choosing what to check and learning what the science can and can't support.

  • Picked three checks that share one phone scan: diabetes, glaucoma and cataracts
  • Reviewed the published studies behind each one
  • Built this website, the app preview and the Ask Iris assistant

Winter 2026

Next

Phone prototype

Turning the plan into a scan that runs on a real phone, with images processed on the device.

  • Track both pupils with the front camera
  • Run the full scan: one flash for both eyes, then one per eye
  • Measure lens haze in the flash photos
  • Try it on different phones, rooms and eye colors

Early 2027

Planned

Accuracy checks

Checking the phone against the tools eye doctors already trust.

  • Compare pupil readings with a clinic pupillometer
  • Compare left vs right results with the swinging flashlight test
  • Compare haze scores with an eye doctor's exam
  • Repeat scans to see how consistent they are

Spring 2027

Planned

Pilot study

A small study with volunteers, run with permission and adult supervision.

  • People with and without diabetes, matched by age
  • People with glaucoma or cataracts diagnosed by a doctor
  • Share what worked and what didn't, openly

Later 2027

Planned

Free beta app

Only if the pilot shows the checks are useful and reliable.

  • Plain-language results and when to see a doctor
  • Help finding low-cost care in Jacksonville
  • Images stay on your phone

Sponsors and supporters

Help us bring eye checks to every phone

Iris is a student project and we're looking for our first sponsors and supporters. Your name or logo could be here.

Your logo here
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Clinics and eye doctors

Advice on safe testing and checking our results against clinic devices.

Schools and mentors

Guidance from teachers, engineers and researchers as we build and test.

Local organizations

Help reaching people who could benefit from a free eye check.

Interested in supporting Iris? Contact details for the team are coming soon.

About

A student project with a simple goal

Millions of people live with health problems they don't know about yet. Iris is a team of students exploring whether the phone already in your pocket could flag early warning signs through your eyes, and point you toward a doctor sooner.

Iris is a research prototype, not a medical device. It will never diagnose anything; it's meant to help people decide when to get checked.

Meet the team Coming soon

Privacy first

Camera images are planned to stay on your phone.

Research led

Built on published, peer-reviewed eye studies.

No extra hardware

Just the phone you already have.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The three planned checks, how one scan covers them, and what a result could and couldn't tell you. Hover a row, or use the button below, to pause.

What are the three checks Iris is working on?

Iris is exploring three checks in one phone scan: pupil responses linked to diabetes, differences between the two eyes that may relate to glaucoma, and lens cloudiness associated with cataracts. All three are in development. The goal is to help people understand when to seek professional care, and each check needs its own testing.

How will one scan cover all three?

The plan is to line up both eyes in a dim room, record their response to the screen light, then light each eye separately while the other is covered. Iris would use the pupil response for the diabetes research, compare the separate responses for the glaucoma research, and examine captured images for cataract-related cloudiness. We're aiming for a short scan of around 30 seconds; the final steps and timing still need phone testing.

Can the pupil check tell me if I have diabetes?

A pupil response cannot confirm or rule out diabetes. Studies with specialized devices found average differences between people with and without diabetes, but the groups overlap. Iris is investigating whether a phone can measure useful differences. Doctors diagnose diabetes with blood tests such as A1C or blood glucose.

How will the glaucoma check work?

Iris plans to compare the pupil responses when each eye is lit separately. A weaker response from one eye can occur with optic-nerve problems, including glaucoma, but it can have other causes too. Early glaucoma, or damage affecting both eyes similarly, may be missed. This check would suggest an eye exam; it won't measure eye pressure or diagnose glaucoma.

What will Iris look for with cataracts?

A cataract is cloudiness in the eye's lens. Iris plans to examine images captured during the scan for visible haze or changes in the light reflected through the pupil. Glare and lighting can look similar, and early cataracts may not be visible in a phone photo. An eye doctor would need to confirm any finding with an eye exam.

Is eye scanning available yet?

All three checks are coming soon. The website currently shows a concept preview with example data, not a live health assessment. We still need to test capture quality, repeatability, different phones and eye colors, and compare each check with appropriate clinical assessments. There isn't a confirmed launch date yet.

Will I need extra equipment or a special phone?

The goal is to use only a phone's camera and screen light, with no lens attachment or separate device. We haven't confirmed which phones and browsers will support all three checks reliably. Dim lighting, a steady phone, and clear pupil images are part of the planned capture process.

Will my eye images be uploaded?

The plan is to process eye images on your phone without uploading them. The AI explanation may use measurement numbers rather than images. The separate Ask Iris chat sends your messages to an AI provider, and chat history is saved in your browser. The Privacy Policy explains the current website's data handling.

What would a typical or flagged result mean?

A typical result would only describe what the prototype measured; it wouldn't rule out diabetes, glaucoma, or cataracts. A flagged or unclear result would be a reason to discuss appropriate testing with a healthcare professional. Iris is a research prototype and cannot replace blood tests, regular eye exams, or medical advice.

How could Iris help the Jacksonville community?

We're exploring whether an accessible phone check could encourage people to seek diabetes testing or an eye exam sooner, especially when cost, transportation, or time make care harder to reach. The plan includes listening to local residents and healthcare workers and helping people find care resources. That community benefit depends on demonstrating that the checks are useful and reliable.

Still curious? Explore the research or ask the Iris assistant in the corner.