Diabetic retinopathy screening and the use of telemedicine.

Abstract

Evidence-based practice guidelines and treatments are highly effective in reducing vision loss from diabetic retinopathy. However, less than half of the total number of patients with diabetes mellitus receive recommended annual retinal evaluations, and vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy remains the leading cause of blindness in adults. Poor adherence to screening recommendations stems from a number of challenges which telemedicine technology may address to increase the evaluation rates and ultimately reduce vision loss. The aim of this review was to provide an update on the recent advances in tele-ophthalmology and how it may expand our current concept of eye care delivery for diabetic eye disease.