This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Tele-ophthalmology aids diabetic retinopathy screening in urban primary care setting
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
 Christopher J. Brady |
PHILADELPHIA — Tele-ophthalmology may be effective in screening for diabetic retinopathy in urban primary care offices, a speaker said here.
At the Wills Eye Institute Alumni Conference, Christopher J. Brady, MD, presented early results of a pilot study conducted by Wills Eye Institute and Jefferson Hospital Department of Family Medicine and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
"We believe that there may be a role for telemedicine in urban settings, given the rates of screening at a third to half of patients," he said. "Even if there are enough ophthalmologists, we believe that there may be other barriers [to screening], and we may be able to surmount those if we put the screening in the primary care setting."
The prospective study included 102 diabetic patients with a mean age of 53 years who presented to a primary care physician for routine care. Patients were asked to undergo non-dilated fundus photography with a Canon digital image system. Primary care physicians were directed to refer patients with diabetic retinopathy to an ophthalmologist for care.
Study results showed that 90% of eyes were gradable. Twenty-four percent of patients had at least mild diabetic retinopathy; almost 90% of those patients reported being unaware of their condition.
Eight patients were identified with possible vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy and were asked to seek follow-up care. Five patients had non-diabetes-related conditions such as glaucoma, choroidal neovascularization and macular degeneration, Dr. Brady said.
Medicare provides reimbursement for telemedicine screening and monitoring patients with an established diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. Further analysis of costs is warranted, Dr. Brady said.
- Disclosure: Dr. Brady has no relevant financial disclosures.