PerceptronCARE: A Deep Learning-Based Intelligent Teleophthalmology Application for Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of vision loss among adults and a major global health challenge, particularly in underserved regions. This study presents PerceptronCARE, a deep learning-based teleophthalmology application designed for automated diabetic retinopathy detection using retinal images. The system was developed and evaluated using multiple convolutional neural networks, including ResNet-18, EfficientNet-B0, and SqueezeNet, to determine the optimal balance between accuracy and computational efficiency. The final model classifies disease severity with an accuracy of 85.4%, enabling real-time screening in clinical and telemedicine settings. PerceptronCARE integrates cloud-based scalability, secure patient data management, and a multi-user framework, facilitating early diagnosis, improving doctor-patient interactions, and reducing healthcare costs. This study highlights the potential of AI-driven telemedicine solutions in expanding access to diabetic retinopathy screening, particularly in remote and resource-constrained environments.