“Patients with diabetes on dialysis have increased barriers to getting access to eye care,” Nika Bagheri, MD, said at the Wills Eye Alumni Conference. “Teleophthalmology provides an opportunity to improve access to eye care in this high-risk population.”
A prospective cross-sectional study included patients at one hemodialysis center in suburban New Jersey and one hemodialysis center in downtown Philadelphia.
Data were available from the suburban center. More than two-thirds of patients were white, and two-thirds were men. Average patient age was about 70 years.
Examiners obtained fundus images through undilated pupils and administered a questionnaire about access to eye care.
A majority of patients had had an annual eye exam within the previous year.
“Many patients did think that eye exams were really important. They knew that diabetes can cause eye problems,” Bagheri said. “Our colleagues in primary medicine had emphasized the importance of eye exams, and yet getting an eye exam was not a top priority for two-thirds of patients.”
Twenty-five out of 30 patients were screened for diabetic retinopathy; about one-third were diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy.
Barriers to eye care included patients’ need to travel and lack of access to an ophthalmologist, Bagheri said.
Limitations of the study included a lack of readable images, she said. – by Matt Hasson
Disclosure: Bagheri reports no relevant financial disclosures.
We’re sorry, but an unexpected error has occurred.
Please refresh your browser and try again. If this error persists, please contact ITSupport@wyanokegroup.com for assistance.
Would you like to receive email reminders to complete your saved activities from Healio CME?
Activity saved! You'll receive reminders to complete your saved activities from Healio CME.
This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
