If you give a computer enough photos and the right algorithm, it can learn to see. And if the photos show damaged eyes, the computer can learn to diagnose eye disease even better than humans can.
People with diabetes frequently suffer from a condition called diabetic retinopathy, where the tiny blood vessels at the back of their eyes (the retina) become damaged and start to leak. About one in three diabetics have this kind of damage, and if left untreated it can cause permanent blindness. With early detection, though, it's quite treatable.
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