Diabetes is a common condition in the UK, and retinopathy may be present in up to 90% of people who have had the disease for 20 years or more. It is the most common cause of blindness in the working population, but is amenable to treatment if initiated at the appropriate stage.
Digital imaging, recommend by the National Service Framework on Diabetes, according to strict, quality assurance standards, is now the standard form of diabetic retinopathy screening. One of the main advantages of such an approach is the ability it affords for auditing the outcomes. Whilst the National Screening Committee accepted that optometric slit-lamp biomicroscopy schemes operated well in the past, it nevertheless replaced those schemes with digital imaging systems, which can be provided in a number of ways, including from optometric practices.
An article published in OT on 12 January 2007 entitled 'Diabetic retinopathy - how to get involved in the national programme' is available in pdf format at the bottom of the page. This article was written by Dr Susan Blakeney, Optometric Adviser to the College of Optometrists and Dr Deborah Broadbent, who is the Training and Education Lead for the English National Screening Programme for Diabetic Retinopathy and the Director of Diabetic Eye Screening at the Liverpool Diabetes Eye Centre.
Patient Information on Cessation of Optometric Screening Services
The AOP drafted a standard letter which can be adapted to local requirements, to help practitioners advise their patients of the importance of having regular sight tests and of being screened for diabetic retinopathy. This letter is amongst the pdf documents at the bottom of this page.
AOP Advice on Diabetic Screening
The AOP's advice on diabetic screening, is available in pdf format at the end of this page. This advice deals with the option of offering a private diabetic eye check to patients who do not wish to remain in the national programme, for whatever reason. We emphasise that the word ‘screening’ ought not be used to describe this private service, since ‘screening’ implies a process that is quality assured to specific standards.
