A smart phone app for individual risk assessment for progression of diabetic retinopathy

Abstract Purpose Creation of a smart phone application containing diabetic retinopathy risk calculator to empower individual diabetic patients to understand their personal risk factors and risk profile. Educate and motivate patients to influence these risk factors. Methods A previously validated and published diabetic retinopathy risk algorithm (Aspelund et al 2011; Lund et al 2016) was programmed as a smart phone application. Clinical data can be entered by hand or through the digi.me platform, which is available in an increasing number of countries for automatic transmission of clinical data. Results The app is available at no cost in app stores and can be found under search word “retinarisk”. User numbers and responses will be reported. Conclusions A smartphone app is now available at no cost for all diabetic patients. The app allows each patient to evaluate his/her personal risk for progression to sight threatening diabetic retinopathy. The app provides education about diabetic retinopathy and risk factors and motivates and informs the patient to modify and improve the risk profile. The app is a step in the direction to empower individual patients through validated interpretation of available clinical data: what these data mean for each individual, how the risk factors can be modified for risk reduction. It provides a personal prognosis for retinopathy progression.