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VisDRTM
provides the best approach
to protect your eyesight and
quality of life.
VisDRTM
is a state-of-the-art method
to identify and assess
visual loss in diabetic
patients due to diabetic
retinopathy and
maculopathy. To
protect your eyesight, you
should have a regular
screening performed. Do ask
your physician or general
practitioner to organize an
evaluation for you at your
earliest convenience.
Through this regular eye
check up using the best
technology, your eyesight is
preserved as
progression of
any detected early signs of
deterioration can be
prevented. |
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Diabetic Retinopathy Defined |
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What is diabetic eye
disease? |
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Diabetic eye
disease refers to a group of
eye problems that people
with diabetes may face as a
complication of diabetes.
All can cause severe vision
loss or even blindness.
Diabetic eye
disease may include: |
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Diabetic retinopathy
- damage to the blood
vessels in the retina.
Cataract -
clouding of the eye's
lens. Cataracts develop
at an earlier age in
people with diabetes.
Glaucoma
-
increase in fluid
pressure inside the eye
that leads to optic
nerve damage and loss of
vision. A person with
diabetes is nearly twice
as likely to get
glaucoma as other
adults.
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What
is diabetic retinopathy? |
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Diabetic
retinopathy is the most
common diabetic eye disease
and a leading cause of
blindness in American
adults. It is caused by
changes in the blood vessels
of the retina.
In some
people with diabetic
retinopathy, blood vessels
may swell and leak fluid. In
other people, abnormal new
blood vessels grow on the
surface of the retina. The
retina is the
light-sensitive tissue at
the back of the eye. A
healthy retina is necessary
for good vision.
If you have
diabetic retinopathy, at
first you may not notice
changes to your vision. But
over time, diabetic
retinopathy can get worse
and cause vision loss.
Diabetic retinopathy usually
affects both eyes. |
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What
are the stages of diabetic
retinopathy? |
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VisDRTM
Scale |
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ETDRS |
NSC |
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10 |
R0 -
No DR.
Annual screening |
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20 |
R1 -
Background.
Annual screen,
inform doctor |
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35 |
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43 |
R2 –
Pre-proliferative.
Refer
to Ophthalmology |
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47 |
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53A-D |
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53E |
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61,65 |
R3
- Proliferative.
Fast-track refer to
Ophthalmology |
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71,75,81,85 |
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How
does diabetic retinopathy
cause vision loss? |
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Blood
vessels damaged from
diabetic retinopathy can
cause vision loss in two
ways:
1. Fragile,
abnormal blood vessels can
develop and leak blood into
the center of the eye,
blurring vision. This is
proliferative retinopathy
and is the fourth and most
advanced stage of the
disease.
2. Fluid can
leak into the center of the
macula, the part of the eye
where sharp, straight-ahead
vision occurs. The fluid
makes the macula swell,
blurring vision. This
condition is called
macular edema. It can occur
at any stage of diabetic
retinopathy, although it is
more likely to occur as the
disease progresses. About
half of the people with
proliferative retinopathy
also have macular edema. |
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Normal
vision |
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Same
scene viewed by a person
with diabetic
retinopathy |
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Who is at risk for
diabetic retinopathy? |
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All
people with
diabetes--both type 1
and type 2--are at risk.
That's why everyone with
diabetes should get a
comprehensive dilated
eye exam at least once a
year. The longer someone
has diabetes, the more
likely he or she will
get diabetic
retinopathy. Between 40
to 45 percent of
Americans diagnosed with
diabetes have some stage
of diabetic retinopathy.
If you have diabetic
retinopathy, your doctor
can recommend treatment
to help prevent its
progression.
During
pregnancy, diabetic
retinopathy may be a
problem for women with
diabetes. To protect
vision, every pregnant
woman with diabetes
should have a
comprehensive dilated
eye exam as soon as
possible. Your doctor
may recommend additional
exams during your
pregnancy. |
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How are diabetic
retinopathy and
maculopathy detected? |
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Diabetic retinopathy and
maculopathy
are
detected during a
comprehensive
VisDRTM
eye exam
that includes: |
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Visual acuity
test.
This eye chart test
measures how well
you see at various
distances. |
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Dilated eye exam.
Drops are placed in
your eyes to
widen, or dilate,
the pupils.
VisDRTM uses
45 degree
colour images
of each eye to
detect signs of
damage and other
retinal
problems.
After the exam, your
close-up vision may
remain blurred for
several hours. |
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Tonometry
(Optional). An
instrument measures
the pressure inside
the eye. Numbing
drops may be applied
to your eye for this
test. |
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All of the above tests
are non-invasive. |
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Your eye
care professional checks
your retina for early
signs of the disease,
including:
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Leaking blood vessels.
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Retinal swelling
(macular edema).
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Pale, fatty deposits on
the retina--signs of
leaking blood vessels.
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Damaged nerve tissue.
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Any changes to the blood
vessels.
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Credits: Some of
above contents are extracted
from The National Eye
Institute ("NEI")
publications. The NEI is the US
Federal government's
lead agency for
vision research
under the National
Institutes of Health ("NIH") . |
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Evaluation guidelines
for diabetic retinopathy |
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VisDRTM provides high
quality testing in
compliance with the
United Kingdom National Screening
Committee standard for
national screening and
reporting ("NSC") |
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NHS1,
and IDF2
guidelines for diabetic
eye screening |
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Patient group |
Minimum routine
follow up |
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Type
1 diabetes |
Annual follow up for
patients over 12
years of age |
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Type
2 diabetes |
Annual assessment |
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Footnote:
1 National Health
Services, Diabetic
retinopathy
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/Pages/Introduction.aspx
accessed 20 October 2009
2 IDF Clinical
Guidelines Task Force
2005, Global guideline
for type 2 diabetes,
Brussels: International
Diabetes Federation |
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