Automatic Detection of Micro-aneurysm in Fundus Retinal Images

Diabetes is a rapidly increasing worldwide problem which is characterized by defective metabolism of glucose that causes long-term failure of various organs. The most common complication of diabetes is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), which is one of the primary causes of blindness and visual impairment in adults. Therefore early detection through regular screening and timely intervention will be highly beneficial in effectively controlling the progress of the disease. Since the ratio of people affected with the disease to the number of ophthalmologists who can screen these patients is very high, there is a need of automated diagnostic system for diabetic retinopathy changes in the eye so that only diseased persons can be referred to the ophthalmologists for further intervention and treatment. Micro-aneurysms(MA) are the first clinical sign of diabetic retinopathy. The key to the early detection of DR is to recognize Micro-aneurysms (MAs) in the fundus of the eye in time.Micro-aneurysms indicate the severity of the disease.