Endo News Roundup: Diabetic Retinopathy

May 1, 2017

April news highlights the importance of timely eye examinations in young patients with diabetes and the efficacy of a teleretinal screening program.

New studies in diabetes highlight the use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) to reduce hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), primarily in those over age 15 years; how a teleretinal diabetic retinopathy screening program can reduce wait times for screening and improve timeliness of needed care; and note that many young diabetes patients who have health insurance do not receive timely eye examinations to monitor for diabetic retinopathy.

Endo News Roundup: Diabetic Retinopathy. May 2017

Real-time CGM in Type 1 Diabetes. Abstract link.

T1DM patients who use real-time continuous glucose monitoring to manage their disease can reduce HbA1c.

Careful selection of T1DM patients and adequate support become important in the use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring in clinical practice.

Diabetic Retinopathy Screening via Telemedicine. Abstract link.

A large-scale teleretinal diabetic retinopathy screening program based in a primary care physician's office can reduce waiting time and improve screening rates for diabetic retinopathy.

Teleretinal diabetic retinopathy screening programs have the potential to maximize access and efficiency in critical areas that need these programs.

Retinopathy Screening in Young Patients. Abstract link.

Many young diabetes patients are not receiving eye examinations by 6 years after initial diagnosis to monitor for diabetic retinopathy.

Retinal telescreening with remote expert interpretation could help improve diabetic retinopathy screening, in particular for patients who live in remote and underserved areas.

Clinical Implications