Closing the diabetic retinopathy gap with retinal cameras

Diabetic retinopathy tragically claims the eyesight of many diabetes patients around the world each year. An estimated 17 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The problem is a significant one in the United States as well. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 4 million people in this country suffer from diabetic retinopathy. In 15% of those cases, patients are at the highest risk of blindness.

Emerging imaging technology, like a retina camera, is making it possible for the primary care physician (PCP) to play a more significant role in spotting the signs of diabetic retinopathy sooner, in the same way that doctors can help with the early detection of other potentially devastating diseases. For example, PCPs play a key role in recommending and making referrals for colonoscopies based on age, helping identify and treat evidence of cancer or precancer in the colon before it develops.

A retina camera offers the potential for more patients to receive sight-saving diagnostic screenings earlier, before the effects of retinopathy take away their ability to see. These new retina camera systems are easier to use, are more accessible, and offer a potential return on investment that could help primary care doctors spot eye disease signals that would get missed by any other approach.

Diabetes exists at epidemic proportions in the United States and across the world, and it’s only going to get worse. The number of diabetes cases is forecast to grow from 425 million people in 2017 to more than 650 million in 2045. Current estimates suggest that about one in three diabetic patients develop diabetic retinopathy, and one in ten will develop a form of the disease that will put their vision at risk.

Many of these cases are preventable when caught early. But eye screenings are not as widely available as they need to be in order to make a difference in current trends.

New retinal camera systems are poised to change this dynamic. These systems are ideally suited for doctors at the primary care and emergency room level to assist in preventing unnecessary blindness.

Healthcare technology is evolving rapidly to address care gaps. An emerging system developed around specialized digital cameras, purpose-built to image the fundus, now offers the potential for closing the diabetic retinopathy gap.

Since retinal cameras are easier to use, offer a wide field of view, and do not require patient eyes to be dilated, they are a better fit for primary care practices.

When combined with cloud-based artificial intelligence capabilities, these systems can do even more for the problem of preventing blindness. AI and machine learning can help read thousands of scans, locate the trouble spots, make predictions about those spots, and alert doctors when they need to act.

Simplifying the process of the early detection of diabetic retinopathy means more people can be screened because it changes several workflow considerations. Doctors can examine the fundus without having to dilate the patient’s eyes, which is time-consuming and uncomfortable.

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You can check out our portable fundus cameras here: Pictor Prestige and VistaView.