For decades, blood tests have been one of the most important tools in modern medicine. They help doctors diagnose diseases, monitor health conditions, and understand what is happening inside the human body. However, almost every traditional blood test requires a needle prick, blood collection, and laboratory processing. Now, a groundbreaking study suggests that the future of blood testing may not require needles at all.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system that can estimate important blood information simply by analyzing a short video of tiny blood vessels in the eye. The technology can assess hemoglobin levels and red blood cell (RBC) counts by observing the blood vessels in the conjunctiva — the transparent membrane covering the white part of the eye.
This breakthrough could represent a major step toward noninvasive medical testing, making blood screening faster, easier, and more accessible, especially in areas where healthcare facilities are limited.
Turning Eye Videos Into Blood Information
The new technology, called Video-to-Vessels, uses advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to transform tiny details from eye videos into useful medical information.
The researchers used a high-magnification RGB camera to record the blood vessels of the conjunctiva. Each participant underwent a short 10-second recording of both eyes. These videos captured not only the structure of the blood vessels but also the movement and behavior of blood flow inside them.
The AI system was then trained to recognize patterns between these visual signals and important blood markers, including hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell levels.
The study involved 224 participants who completed both traditional blood tests and eye imaging. By comparing laboratory results with AI predictions, researchers found that the system could identify signs of anemia with an accuracy rate of 82.8%.
The results also showed a strong connection between the AI-generated estimates and actual laboratory measurements of hemoglobin and red blood cell counts.
Why the Eye Became the Key to Blood Testing
The eye may seem like an unusual place to measure blood health, but researchers explain that the conjunctiva offers a unique window into the body's circulation.
Unlike many parts of the body, the tiny blood vessels in the eye are easily visible. Some of these vessels are so narrow that blood cells move through them one after another, creating patterns that can reveal important information about blood composition.
The study discovered that the smallest blood vessels provided the most accurate predictions. These tiny vessels allowed the AI system to detect subtle changes in blood flow that were connected to hemoglobin levels.
Researchers found that models trained using information from these narrow vessels performed significantly better than models relying only on larger blood vessels.
This discovery highlights how microscopic changes in the body can provide valuable health information when combined with advanced technology.
The Power of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
A major part of this research was not just collecting eye images, but improving the quality of the data using AI-based processing.
Eye movements and digital noise can affect image quality, making it harder for computer systems to identify meaningful patterns. The researchers developed methods to stabilize eye movement and remove unwanted noise from the videos.
When these improvements were removed, the accuracy of predictions dropped significantly. The correlation with hemoglobin levels decreased by 38%, while red blood cell count predictions declined by 19%.
This shows that AI is not simply analyzing images — it is learning complex biological patterns that may not be visible to the human eye.
A Potential Solution for Global Health Challenges
One of the biggest motivations behind this research is improving access to healthcare.
Anemia is among the most common health conditions worldwide, affecting around 30% of the global population. Many people, especially in remote or underserved regions, may not have easy access to laboratories or regular medical testing.
A future version of this technology could potentially become a small handheld device that allows quick blood screening in clinics, community health centers, or even at home.
Instead of waiting for laboratory results after a blood draw, patients may one day receive immediate information through a simple eye scan.
This could be especially valuable for monitoring conditions where frequent blood tests are needed.
A New Source of Human Health Information
Tamir Denis, one of the researchers involved in the study, explained that the eye provides a unique opportunity because it allows scientists to directly observe blood vessels and, in some cases, even blood flow itself.
According to the researchers, combining physics, optical imaging, and artificial intelligence creates a completely new way of understanding human physiology.
The idea is not only about replacing traditional blood tests but also about discovering new sources of medical information that were previously difficult to access.
By using AI to analyze tiny biological signals, scientists are opening the door to a new generation of healthcare technologies.
Still an Early Step, But a Promising Future
Although the results are encouraging, researchers emphasize that this is still a proof-of-concept study. More testing with larger and more diverse groups of people will be necessary before the technology can be used in hospitals or everyday healthcare.
Medical systems require extremely high accuracy and reliability before replacing traditional diagnostic methods. However, the success of this study demonstrates the potential of noninvasive testing.
The combination of artificial intelligence, advanced cameras, and medical science could transform how doctors monitor health in the future.
A simple video of the eye may one day provide information that currently requires a needle, a laboratory, and waiting time.
The Future of Medical Testing May Be Needle-Free
This research represents a significant step toward making healthcare more comfortable, faster, and accessible. While traditional blood tests will remain essential for many medical decisions, AI-powered technologies like Video-to-Vessels could become valuable tools for early screening and monitoring.
The ability to estimate blood health through the eye demonstrates the incredible potential of modern technology to reveal hidden information inside the human body.
In the future, a quick look into the eye may tell doctors more than just what we see — it may reveal the story of our blood, our health, and our overall well-being.
Reference: Tamir Denis et al, Towards noninvasive blood count using a deep learning pipeline from bulbar conjunctiva videos, npj Digital Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41746-026-02598-2

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