Topcon Invests in Senseye to Advance Mental Health Diagnostics

Can your eyes reveal your mental health? With AI-powered tech, the answer is finally yes.

For centuries, people have said the eyes are the “window to the soul.” Now, they may also become the window to our mental health.

Topcon Healthcare (California, USA) a global leader in digital health and ocular data solutions, has announced a strategic investment in Senseye, a US-based innovator developing the first-ever mental health diagnostic platform powered by ocular biomarkers and advanced AI.

For Topcon Healthcare, this is more than an investment. It represents the company’s first foray into neuropsychiatry and mental health technology under its Healthcare from the Eye™ initiative.

Topcon Healthcare announces the strategic investment into Senseye.

A new frontier in mental health

At the heart of this investment is the Senseye mobile app, designed to deliver a complete ocular test in just 15 minutes using only a smartphone. Patients are guided through a series of visual tasks, while patented computer vision technology records subtle signals such as pupil gaze, heart rate and iris biomechanics.

These metrics—often invisible to the human eye—are then analyzed by Senseye’s proprietary machine learning algorithm and transformed into validated digital biomarkers. The data can aid in diagnosing and monitoring post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Senseye describes its mission as providing “an objective, scalable and non-invasive method for mental health assessment.” This innovation could allow primary care physicians to integrate mental health screenings into routine checkups, especially in underserved communities where behavioral health specialists are limited.

Eye care professionals, too, could play a critical role by identifying potential neuropsychiatric concerns during routine exams and referring patients for follow-up care.

Healthcare from the Eye initiative

This investment is part of Topcon Healthcare’s broader Healthcare from the Eye initiative, a connected care ecosystem that applies AI-powered disease detection and management to noninvasive retinal imaging.

“Senseye is breaking new ground by providing objective, measurable mental health assessments from the eye,” said Ali Tafreshi, president and CEO of Topcon Healthcare, in a news release. “Their work exemplifies our Healthcare from the Eye vision, expanding the role of ocular data beyond eye and systemic disease into psychiatry.”

By leveraging the eye as a non-invasive window into the brain, Topcon is pushing forward a vision where earlier detection of debilitating, chronic diseases is not only possible but practical, cost-effective and widespread.

For Senseye, the partnership is a powerful endorsement. “Topcon Healthcare’s investment is more than capital, it is validation from a global leader in digital health technology that the eye holds the key to understanding the brain and mind,” said David Zakariaie, Senseye founder and CEO. “Together, we can bring objectivity, accessibility and trust to mental health diagnostics worldwide.”

The eye as a gateway to holistic care

This collaboration is also laying the foundation for integration into Harmony, Topcon Healthcare’s connected care platform, which already unites imaging, AI analytics and data sharing across clinical settings. With Senseye’s technology embedded, Harmony could soon provide clinicians with a holistic view of both physical and mental health, captured through the eye.

As demand for mental health solutions continues to rise globally, Topcon’s strategic move positions the company at the intersection of ophthalmology, neurology and psychiatry. By redefining the application of ocular data, the partnership with Senseye is a pivotal step in transforming how mental health is screened, diagnosed and managed.

Editor’s Note: See the official press release by Topcon Healthcare. This content is intended exclusively for healthcare professionals. It is not intended for the general public. Products or therapies discussed may not be registered or approved in all jurisdictions, including Singapore.