Introduction

The invention consists of an integrated system that allows acquisition and quantitative analysis of high-resolution images of the retina. The integrated system includes an optical device and a software app. The computation is carried out by means of cloud-based technologies. The retinal image analysis provides quantitative indices of retinal damage, relevant for both clinical and research purposes.

Technical features

Fundoscopy is a procedure for diagnosis and monitoring of a number of pathological conditions, including ophthalmologic (e.g. glaucoma and macular degeneration), endocrinologic (e.g. diabetes), cardiovascular (e.g. hypertension) and neurologic disorders (e.g. head trauma, cerebrovascular diseases). However, full exploitation of fundoscopy is limited since the acquisition of retinal images relies upon expensive and non-portable devices and the analysis is limited to qualitative assessment of retinal abnormalities. This invention allows acquisition of a high-quality image to be immediately evaluated for quantitative changes suggestive of vessel pathology. The analysis is carried out by means of the portable device. The quantitation of disease-related retinal vessel changes provides physicians with tools for early diagnosis or with grounded criterions for initiating intensive prevention treatments (e.g. asymptomatic cerebral microangiopathies).

Possible Applications

• Emergency rooms;
• Field hospitals;
• Mobile medical units;
• Departments of cardiology, ophthalmology, neurology, endocrinology.

Advantages

• Acquisition of high-resolution images of fundus;
• Quick and efficient Cloud Computing;
• Results quickly available directly on the mobile device;
• Simple, minimal, portable, vital in emergency;
• The device can be presented as a rubber band;
• New clinical validated biomarkers for neurological damages.