Diabetic Macular Edema in Diabetological Practices

Abstract

Using mobile OCT equipment and remote ophthalmological diagnosis of n = 1538 diabetics in 17 diabetes practices in Germany, we found diabetic macular edema in 10.1% of the patients and retinal bleedings or microaneurysms in 15.6%. In 1.62% of the diabetics examined, the size of the edema was > 0.4 mm², in 7% the retinal thickness was > 300 µm and thus in need of treatment. An intravitreal anti-VEGF injection was administered prior to the examination in only 10% of the patients with diabetic macular edema. By means of mobile tele-eye consultation and remote ophthalmological diagnosis using the cloud-based patient file certified as medical device IIa, patients with diabetic macular edema were identified and informed on site quickly and definitively. The data and images were made available to all attending physicians and ophthalmic surgeons.