Dr.M AZHAR MOHD. YUSUF SHEIKH
Specialist eye care services are inaccessible to most diabetics in rural areas.In absence of screening & timely treatment diabetic patients are at risk of blindness.
4457 eyes of 2233 known diabetic patients registered in NCD clinics were screened at CHC by trained PMOAs using nonmydriatic fundus camera.Fundus photographs were uploaded using online software & were analysed/ graded by Ophthalmologist at base hospital.Fundus photographs in 7.3 % eyes were not gradable because of media opacity.
79.4 % were in age group 50- 70 years,50.4 % were female,98 % patients had type II DM,63.6 % had DM for >5 years, 95.3 % were on oral drugs & only 42.3 % had control of blood sugar.
The prevalence of DR was 8.1 % of these 12.2 % had Sight Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy (STDR).DR patients were referred & managed by LASER/Intravitreal Injection.
Regular screening of diabetic patients with portable fundus camera & use of Tele-Ophthalmology can help in early diagnosis & prevent blindness from STDR
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