Telemedicine process used to implement an effective and functional screening program for diabetic retinopathy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Technology
• Public Health

Background:

• Diabetic retinopathy is a primary cause of blindness in adults aged 20-74.
• Affecting nearly half of the 300 million people with diabetes, early detection is key to prevention.
• Blindness due to diabetic retinopathy is preventable in at least 65% of cases with early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible, modular, and mobile method for diabetic retinopathy screening.
• To enable effective screening in diverse medical and community settings.

Main Methods:

• Developed a software system with four components: registration, imaging, grading, and tracking/reporting.
• Utilized customized software with a camera for retinal image acquisition.
• Implemented a streamlined workflow for patient screening.

Main Results:

• Successfully screened 706 individuals with diabetes.
• Average screening time per subject was 12 minutes and 53 seconds.
• 8% of patients required urgent follow-up (proliferative retinopathy or diabetic maculopathy), while 76% needed routine annual follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The developed retinal screening software and workflow effectively address challenges in providing adequate screening and diagnostic services.
• The system demonstrates feasibility for widespread use in managing diabetic retinopathy risks.