Preventing Diabetic Retinopathy: Red Lesions Detection in Early Stages

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in industrialized countries. For example, several studies have provided data of its prevalence in several countries like Spain (values between 44.7% and 26.11% depending on the area and the type of diabetes) Fernandez-Vigo et al. (1993); RA et al. (2010), Australia (overall 15.3% of patients with diabetes had retinopathy) Tapp et al. (2003) or USA (40.3% crude prevalence among diabetic patients) Kempen et al. (2004). Moreover, several worlwide programs like the Aravind Eye Care System (http://www.aravind.org/Default.aspx) promote the sharing of knowlege and resources to avoid blindness, like the caused by diabetic retinopathy.