A team from the Medical and Surgical Centre for Retina in Mexico have developed an application that can detect eye diseases like diabetic macular edema. It occurs when fluid and protein deposits collect on or under the macula of the eye and causes it to thicken and swell. The swelling may distort a person's central vision.

"The idea is to detect and prevent diseases in general practice. We are not replacing the specialist, we want to know which patients have a disease and make an early detection," said Dr. Juan Carlos Altamirano Vallejo, medical director of the Medical and Surgical Centre for Retina in Mexico.

He said that the technology is designed for general physicians, "who support the health system in Mexico and, even without in-depth knowledge of ophthalmology, can, with this tool, detect certain abnormalities and send the patient to the specialist."

This new app helps in prevention of eye diseases and will also cut down on costs. It is developed in collaboration with biomedical engineers from the Spain-based the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) has been satisfactory and is expected to soon be marketed and incorporated the basic health system.

By Lizitha