Large-scale screenings for diabetic retinopathy boost exam rates, reduce wait times

FINDINGSUCLA researchers found that offering an eye exam for people with diabetes in a primary care setting in addition to eye clinics — where the exam is usually performed — dramatically reduced the length of time people had to wait for the exam and increased the number of people who underwent screenings.The exam, teleretinal diabetic retinopathy screening, identifies people at risk for a disorder called diabetic retinopathy, which affects more than 5.3 million people in the U.S. and can cause blindness if untreated. Among those who were screened, wait times for the exam decreased to 17 days from 158 before the program began, and screening rates increased to 56.9 percent, from 40.6 percent. Of 21,222 patients, 68.8 percent did not require referral to an eye care provider, 19.6 percent were referred for treatment or monitoring of diabetic retinopathy, and 11.6 percent were referred for other ophthalmologic conditions.BACKGROUNDAlthough early detection and treatment can prevent the disease from causing blindness, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. In Los Angeles County, Latinos are the majority users of health clinics that serve lower-income, uninsured people and Medicaid recipient — and among Los Angeles Latinos who have diabetes, approximately 50 percent have diabetic retinopathy. But the wait for screenings at eye clinics is often eight months or more thanks in part to limited specialty care resources. Only 60 percent of A...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news