| The diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy in the early | | | | detects sight-threatening retinopathy that requires |
| stages of this complications can control the | | | | follow-up treatment. When there is not a clear cut |
| severe consequences that are inflicted by the | | | | result for the accurate diagnosis. If there is a |
| disease. So in order to diagnose retinopathy in | | | | detection of other eye conditions such as |
| diabetics it is recommended that the patients | | | | glaucoma or cataracts but that is rarely the case. |
| should have an annual screening of their eyes. | | | | The points to be noted by the patient are that |
| For this a national screening (or testing) | | | | the screening programme is not compulsory. But |
| programme for diabetic retinopathy has been set | | | | if diabetes is present it is the single best way to |
| up by the Department of Health. These screening | | | | prevent sight loss. An annual screening keeps the |
| programmes are a part of patient education in | | | | patient and the health care team updated with |
| online pharmacy education and counselling. They | | | | the problem at hand. An insight and predictability |
| offer annual screening for the diabetics at 11 | | | | of the disease progression. |
| years of age with diabetes type 1. This was | | | | There are some other ways that are used to |
| developed in order to detect retinopathy as early | | | | diagnose the eye problems and that are generally |
| as possible to treat it effectively and avoid the | | | | applied after there is a doubt of the complications. |
| further complications. | | | | These include the following. |
| Diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed better with a | | | | Fluorescein angiography |
| dilated eye examination. For this exam, the doctor | | | | This test generally involves a retinal photography |
| places drops in the eyes of the screened person | | | | or imaging. Fluorescein angiography is an eye test |
| that make the pupils open widely for several | | | | that uses a special dye and camera to look at |
| hours. Here the doctor can have a better general | | | | blood flow in the retina and choroid. Here the |
| view of the fundus of the eye. | | | | doctor dilates the pupils and take pictures of the |
| During the exam, the doctor will examine the eye | | | | fundus, the inside of the eye. Following this the |
| and look for: Abnormal blood vessels, Swelling in | | | | doctor injects a fluorescence dye into the arm, |
| the retina, blood or fatty deposits in the retina, | | | | further taking pictures of the dye circulating in the |
| Growth of new blood vessels and scar tissue, | | | | eye. These pictures help the doctor to check for |
| Bleeding in the clear, jelly-like substance that fills | | | | any blood vessels that are closed, broken down |
| the center of the eye (vitreous), Abnormalities in | | | | or leaking fluid. |
| optic nerve, Retinal detachment, Presence or | | | | Optical coherence tomography |
| absence of a cataract. In addition doctor may | | | | This is an imaging eye exam that obtains |
| test the proper vision status, measure the eye | | | | high-resolution images of the retina and the |
| pressure to test for glaucoma. | | | | anterior segment of the eye. These are |
| The results of the screening are studied and | | | | cross-sectional images showing the thickness of |
| discussed by a team of healthcare professionals. | | | | the retina and it helps to diagnose any leakage |
| So the patient might receive them with a delay. | | | | into the tissue of the retina. After wards this can |
| For further assessments the patients might be | | | | also be utilized to check and monitor whether the |
| called back due to some reasons: When the team | | | | treatment is working and effective of not. |