RETINA-READ-RISK

Prevention of diabetic retinopathy within everyone’s reach. Prevention of diabetic retinopathy within everyone’s reach RetinaReadRisk is developing a platform for the early detection and diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy Mission Paradigm shift in diabetic retinopathy management Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes that affects the small vessels of the retina. DR can lead to complete vision loss if not detected early and is the major cause of preventable blindness in working-age adults Globally, DR is the fifth cause of blindness and visual impairment affecting between 3-4% of people in Europe. DR affects 30% of people with diabetes and it is estimated that 280 million people have lost their sight due to diabetes worldwide. When detected on time, the risk of DR can be reduced by 95% but the disease is asymptomatic in its early stages and the risk of developing DR varies among patients. DR can be prevented by controlling risk factors, such as glycemia or arterial hypertension. But existing healthcare systems are inefficient in detecting DR for several reasons as short supply of cameras or the fact that 29% of Europeans live outside urban areas, where ophthalmologist units are not located.