In　automatic　retinal　image　analysis,　the　location　of　the　optic　disk　and　macula　fovea　is　the　prerequisite　for　a　system　of　computer　aided　diagnosis　or　automatic　screening　of　diabetic　retinopathy.　This　paper　proposes　a　novel　method　to　detect　macular　firstly　before　optic　disk　location　or　vessels　detection　using　directional　local　contrast　filter　and　local　vessel　density　feature,　which　improves　effectively　the　accuracy　of　the　detection　of　the　macular　and　optic　disk,　and　is　different　from　existing　algorithms　that　detected　optic　disk　firstly　before　macula　fovea　location.　169　color　images　with　diabetic　macular　edema　from　HEI-MED　public　database　are　used　to　evaluate　the　performance　of　the　developed　method.　From　the　experimental　results,　the　accuracy　rate　both　of　macular　and　optic　disk　detection　is　found　to　be　98.2%.　The　proposed　method　is　simple　and　unsupervised,　and　has　high　practical　value.　©,　2014,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.