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We’ve been receiving a lot of inquiries from our healthcare provider partners to enable diabetic eye screenings for their patients using the Ophthalmology service line within our VideoConsults platform.

Turns out that the HealthOcta technology platfrom and team are a great fit to help address this existing need and to put a curb on preventable blindness. Digital retinal imaging devices powered by HealthOcta’s technology platform and our panel of Ophthalmologists can enable primary care practices enable a higher standard of eye screenings for their diabetic patient population.

Better care is about awareness and education

Offering diabetic eye screenings as part of primary care services can improve patient engagement and satisfaction. Patients appreciate the convenience of receiving comprehensive care in one location, and they are more likely to follow through with recommended screenings when they are easily accessible.

Regular eye screenings can serve as a reminder for patients to manage their diabetes effectively. When patients see the potential impact of diabetes on their eyes, they may be more motivated to control their blood sugar levels, adhere to medications, and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Eye diseases can exist even if you have no symptoms

Annual eye exams are important for preventing and detecting diabetes-related eye complications. They can help identify problems that can prevent or delay vision loss if treated. Annual eye exams can help providers identify more diseases earlier in patients who might otherwise go untreated. Annual screening can help detect conditions before they exhibit symptoms.

Diabetics are at a high risk of vision loss

Diabetics are also at higher risk for cataracts and macular degeneration. Early detection and treatment of these conditions can preserve vision.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) occurs when the blood vessels inside the eye start to leak blood and fluid into the retina, causing damage and permanent vision loss. Early detection and treatment is crucial for preserving your eyesight.

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a complication of diabetic retinopathy, and occurs when the macula, the center of the retina, begins to swell. The macula is responsible for your central and color vision. When the macula swells, it damages the blood vessels, causing them to leak— resulting in vision loss.

While patients with uncontrolled blood sugar levels have a higher risk of diabetic retinopathy, those with controlled diabetes are still at risk and need to be screened against that risk regularly.

It is recommended that patients receive annual eye exams for early detection of the disease, and increased optimal treatment results. By regularly monitoring a diabetic patients eye health, you are ensuring that any changes that occur will be detected early, before they can cause any harm.

Empowering Better Healthcare through Tech+Med

Despite the benefits stated above, most patients with diabetes do not receive annual eye screening per recommended guidelines. By deploying nonmydriatic cameras like the ones supported by HealthOcta in primary care or laboratory settings, remote retinal imaging technologies can broaden eye-care access and reduce the long-term costs of quality care.

If you are a primary care practitioner or a opthalmologist or feel passionate about this topic, we would love to hear from you.

Some eye-opening statistics…

• An estimated total of 37.3 million people have diabetes (11.3% of the US population) and estimated total of 96 million people aged 18 years or older have prediabetes (38.0% of the adult US population).
  source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report website.
• Prevalence of prediabetes among US adults remained steady from 2005–2008 to 2017–2020. However, notification of prediabetes status nearly tripled (from 6.5% to 17.4%).^*
• Regular eye exams and timely treatment could prevent up to 90% of diabetes-related blindness.^#
• Regular foot exams and patient education could prevent up to 85% of diabetes-related amputations.^{^}
• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 18–64 years. Among US adults aged 18 years or older with diagnosed diabetes, crude data for 2019 indicated:
  • 11.8% (95% CI, 11.1%–12.4%) reported severe vision difficulty or blindness.
• At least 62 million people live with diabetes in the Americas. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people aged 40 to 74, lower extremity amputations, and chronic kidney disease