Developed for Hack the Horizon by African Quantum Consortium.
## The Problem: Preventing Diabetic Blindness
**Diabetic Retinopathy (DR)** is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults worldwide. Early detection can prevent 95% of severe vision loss, but current challenges include:
- **Limited screening access**: 50% of diabetics don't get regular eye exams
- **Diagnostic delays**: Manual review by specialists takes days to weeks
- **Resource inequality**: 80% of ophthalmologists serve only 20% of the population
- **Progression risk**: DR progresses silently until vision loss occurs
## Our Vision: Quantum-Accelerated Screening
**Q-Sight** aims to revolutionize diabetic retinopathy screening through quantum-enhanced artificial intelligence. Our vision is to create an accessible system that provides hospital-grade accuracy anywhere, anytime.
### **Core Innovation Goals**
- **Quantum-optimized feature selection**: Intelligently reduce 512+ image features to critical biomarkers
- **Hybrid quantum-classical architecture**: Leverage quantum advantages while maintaining classical reliability
- **Accessible deployment**: Cloud-based solution requiring minimal local infrastructure
## Project Objectives
### **Primary Goals**
1. **Accuracy Target**: Achieve 92-95% classification accuracy on the APTOS 2019 dataset
2. **Quantum Advantage**: Demonstrate measurable improvement over classical-only approaches
3. **Clinical Utility**: Create an intuitive interface for healthcare professionals
### **Technical Milestones**
- Phase 1: Classical baseline establishment (Days 1-3)
- Phase 2: Quantum integration prototyping (Days 4-8)
- Phase 3: System integration & validation (Days 9-12)
- Phase 4: Presentation preparation (Days 13-14)
## Technology Strategy
| Component | Technology Choice | Rationale |
|-----------|------------------|-----------|
| **Quantum Framework** | Qiskit (IBM Quantum) | Industry standard with excellent simulator support |
| **Machine Learning** | PyTorch | Flexibility for custom quantum-classical in …