First outcomes of The First Ophthalmological Reading Centre

Summary

Results of a pilot study showed that the incidence of pathological retinal findings associated with diabetes mellitus was higher than reported figures NCZI, but at the same time lower (at least in patients with type 1 diabetes) than that given literary sources. This fact can be evaluated positively, pointing to an overall good care of both the diabetologists and ophthalmologists. On the other hand, a relatively high incidence of pathological findings on the eye fundus during the first five years of the type 2 diabetes points to the need for improvement of earlier diagnosis of diabetes and may also indicate a lack of intensity of glycaemic control during the initial years of the disease. Diffe­rences in the incidence of retinal findings customarily referred among patients with type 2 diabetes duration 5, respectively 10 years, and in incidence of findings in ORC suggest delayed ophthalmological examinations and lack of their frequency in the early years of the disease.

These findings substantiate the need for intensive screening for diabetes mellitus in the primary sector and timely transmission to diabetologist and ophthalmologist as well as the need for the availability of modern therapeutical benefits already in early stages of diabetes mellitus. The surprising findings were quite common differences between the original findings on the eye fundus from patient records and findings from ORC (21.6 %). Although in many cases it was a finding that may have been associated with the progression of fundus finding were captured and the other findings and only 22 (7.1 %) cases were new onset DM. All these findings confirm the importance of the existence and creation of new “Reading ophthalmic centers” and close cooperation between Diabetologist and Ophthalmologist.

Key words:
diabetic macular edema – diabetes mellitus-incidence – diabetic retinopathy