How Telemedicine May Improve Eye Health for Diabetics

By Kirsty Rigg –

Two of the biggest hurdles for treating health conditions are providing preventive care, and ensuring patient compliance with medications and other treatments. This is especially true when it comes to diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that requires heavy monitoring and constant attention to one’s health and blood statistics. It also comes with other secondary health issues, such as neuropathy and retinopathy. The problem is that unless diabetics are closely monitoring themselves, they could face declining health, reduced lifespans, and a lower quality of life.

A new tool in the world of diabetes medicine, as well as other specialties, is something called telemedicine. The medical community is continually striving for ways to make diabetes screening more accessible and easier for patients. Telemedicine is a promising new technology that was designed to make it easier for patients to visit the eye doctor. When patients are evaluated sooner, it is more likely that retinopathy can be diagnosed in the early stages, which is essential for improving the patient’s outcome.

Diabetic retinopathy is currently the leading cause of new cases of blindness. In an effort to combat this debilitating eye condition is becoming the target of the new technology. If there were better technology that could improve a patient’s condition, more people would have access to medical care, and so patients would get the exams and Hylo Drops that are critical for diabetic retinopathy prevention and treatment.

Researchers from the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center designed a study to see if telemedicine would help older patients receive diabetic retinopathy screening services, which can catch the disease early and improve patient outcomes. The effectiveness of telemedicine in diabetic eye care has been a matter of debate, but recently, evidence has begun to establish this approach as a safe and effective way to treat the adult diabetic population. Many physicians believe that to better serve their patients, it makes more sense to tailor their medical examination and treatments in any way that could increase their chances of seeking early screening and preventive care.

Prevention and early detection are the best ways to prevent the blindness that can come as a side effect of diabetes. The problem is that currently, less than sixty-five percent of those with diabetes have regular screening for diabetic retinopathy. With regular exams, it is possible to prevent blindness by identifying and treating the underlying cause as early as possible. People in poorer areas are less likely to get the screening and care they need, making them more susceptible to permanent vision loss as a side effect of diabetes. If physicians can get to those in underserved areas, they can cut the rate of blindness in diabetic populations by as much as ten to twenty percent.

This is why telemedicine is such a promising development. When screening can be performed outside the confines of a clinic or medical office, those who are trained to perform outreach programs can target the patients who are least likely to get the care they need. Because it transcends the need for the patient to be physically present, telemedicine can also cut healthcare costs for those who don’t have the monetary means to get regular exams, or who don’t have health insurance at all. It can also help cut back on time lost from work, along with other inconveniences that people face when getting necessary exams.

Telemedicine is likely to become an important means of addressing the increasing rates of diabetes. Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing types of chronic illness, and today, it’s a major public health issue. It is projected that as many as 366 million more cases will be diagnosed in the next decade. That is a staggering amount. Unless, better means for prevention, treatment, and diagnosis, are put into place, the diabetes epidemic will put a considerable burden onto the healthcare system. Telemedicine may be the first step in the right direction, helping healthcare services handle the growing public health crisis posed by the diabetes and its consequences.

Telemedicine for diabetic retinopathy works by using portable handheld equipment for retinal imaging. The images can be sent over a secure cloud-based network to an eye care professional, who will examine them to determine whether further treatment may be necessary. This allows specialists to rule out any abnormalities, and to measure for any increased pressures that can result in glaucoma. Telemedicine can bring an eye exam to the patient, without the need for any dilation.

As people become more accustomed to new technologies that can be used outside of a healthcare facility, more diabetes patients will get the necessary treatments to prevent blindness. There is no reason why anyone should suffer from retinopathy when there are treatments available to alleviate the damage. Being able to reach those who are currently unreachable is a fantastic use for telemedicine, making the right treatments available for even the most vulnerable populations.