Liverpool Ophthalmic Reading Centre (LORC) is part of St. Paul's Eye Unit, University Hospitals of Liverpool Group NHS Foundation Trust, and is based at Royal Liverpool University Hospital. LORC carries out ophthalmic image grading and analysis. It was established in 2005 to support multi-centre clinical trials on eye diseases and continues to play an important role in ophthalmology research both locally and nationally. It has developed strong global research collaborations and contributes to research activity of the Department of Eye and Vision Sciences, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool.

LORC has close links with reading centres at Queen’s University, Belfast and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. All three reading centres form the Network of Ophthalmic Reading Centres UK (NetwORC UK).

Our work involves eye diseases such as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Diabetic Retinopathy, Malarial Retinopathy, Uveitis and Retinal Vasculitis, Retinal Vein Occlusion, Inherited Retinal Diseases, Hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity, Glaucoma and large population studies as part of both commercial and grant-funded studies.

We also have substantial experience working on research into artificial intelligence for automated detection and monitoring of eye disease.