Argentina's Retinar AI Platform Expands Diabetic Eye Care in Hospitals

Retinar is an Argentine tele‑ophthalmology platform that uses artificial intelligence to detect diabetic retinopathy early. Developed by researchers from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) and the Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNCPBA) under the leadership of José Ignacio Orlando, the system analyses retinal images, checks image quality, flags cases that require specialist referral and assists clinicians while keeping the final decision with the ophthalmologist.

The platform is already deployed in the Julieta Lanteri Hospital (Tandil), El Cruce Hospital (Florencio Varela) and José Irurzun Hospital (Quequén, Necochea). Diabetic retinopathy, which affects about 25 % of people with diabetes worldwide, is the leading cause of preventable vision loss in working‑age adults. By automating image assessment and streamlining referrals, Retinar aims to broaden access to regular eye examinations and improve outcomes for diabetic patients in Argentina.