A screening programme for diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Retinal photography using a non‐mydriatic fundus camera has been proposed as a means of screening for diabetic retinopathy. We describe a screening programme which uses this technique and is run by liaison between a Diabetic Day Unit and Ophthalmology Department within a District General Hospital. A 10‐month period of screening is reported during which time 639 patients were photographed. Of these, 110 patients (17.2%) were referred for clinical eye examination of which 100 attended (15.6%), 27 patients (4.2%) subsequently underwent laser retinal photocoagulation. Of these, 22 received focal treatment and five required panretinal photocoagulation, nine cases (1.4%) were submitted to fundus fluorescein angiography. In 12 patients (1.9%), non‐diabetic ocular disease was detected.

Reduced forearm reactive hyperaemia in normoalbuminuric subjects with Type 1 diabetes and retinopathy

“…Retinal photographs were taken using a Canon CR3 45NM non‐mydriatic fundus camera, and assessed for degree of retinopathy by a single ophthalmologist, experienced in diabetic retinopathy. Retinopathy was graded as 0–3 as follows: 0, no retinopathy; 1, mild background retinopathy; 2, severe background retinopathy (blots and several hard exudates) or maculopathy or preproliferative retinopathy; 3, proliferative retinopathy [13]. Retinal photography and grading of results was carried out prior to forearm blood‐flow studies.…”