Use of Teleophthalmology to Evaluate the Incidence and Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Ophthalmologists in the US are devoting more time, effort, and resources to analyzing and tracking the incidence and progression of diabetic eye disease in various racial and ethnic groups. These efforts are bolstering our understanding of how specific patient populations respond to treatments, broadening our ability to introduce underserved communities to novel interventions and technologies, and allowing us to better deploy available resources.Fonda et al 1 examine the incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy in American Indian and Alaska Native individuals, using the Indian Health Service Teleophthalmology Program, which is the largest program of its kind in the country. 2 This work-and other work like it-is crucial. According to 2020 US census data, American Indian and Alaska Native individuals represent only 1.1% of the national population, and yet they experience a higher prevalence of diabetes, with younger patients affected more than other patient populations. 1,3 Notwithstanding the incidence of disease that American Indian and Alaska Native patients experience and the potential importance of their patient data, they remain underrepresented in ophthalmological clinical trials. 4