Colour fundus photography is the most frequently used imaging modality because it is non-invasive, well accepted by patients and above all, because it allows documentation and automated analysis of the ophthalmoscopic examination. Colour fundus photography is considered crucial for diabetic retinopathy management to identify disease and its progression in clinical practice. This article focuses on automated computer-aided analysis of fundus digital photographs with special emphasis on microaneurysm dynamics. Together with optical coherence tomography measurements of extracellular space and retinal thickness, both based on non-invasive procedures, this technique allows close follow-up of the main changes in the diabetic retina. Determination of the activity of the retinal disease and individual risk profiles using these non-invasive procedures contribute to personalised management of diabetic retinopathy by identifying eyes at risk from vision-threatening complications, such as macular oedema and proliferative retinopathy.