Diabetic retinopathy poses the most serious risk of blindness for adults in the United States, yet nearly half of diabetics do not receive regular eye exams. Barriers to screening include lack of access to specialists, transportation issues, and cost. We propose to leverage new developments in digital imaging technology, microdisplays, image compression, and telecommunications into a novel device suitable for screening patients with retinal abnormalities via telemedicine in a primary care or ambulatory setting. This device has the potential to make retinal screening more affordable and accessible to the public, especially in underserved or rural areas. Increasing the screening rate is a cost-effective method o reduce new cases of blindness and vision loss caused by diabetes and other diseases.
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