[Screening for diabetic retinopathy in the Czech Republic--guideline]

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic maculopathy (DMP) are the most frequent and most serious complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). At present the adverse development of these microvascular complications of DM can be very successfully delayed by available therapeutic methods. The success of the therapeutic procedure depends in particular on early treatment of DR and DMP by laser coagulation and/or pars plana vitrectomy, which presumes detection of early stages of the disease. The authors evaluate the priorities of DR screening, the final effect of which is a decline of blindness caused by DM. Conditions for screening of diabetic eye disease are the diagnosis of DR by simple and safe procedures, classification of DR on the basis of the dynamics of retinal changes and standards of treatment. An integral part of the ophthalmological screening programme is professional collaboration of ophthalmologists, diabetologists, general practitioners and specialists in internist medicine. Successful screening of DR makes it possible to involve the subject in preventive and therapeutic care, education of the patient, regular lifelong follow up and early treatment of DR and DMP. By the method of screening of DR we reduce the risk of a decline of visual acuity and prevent severe functional losses as a result of diabetic ophthalmological complications.