Biennial eye exam enough in diabetics
Biennial rather than annual eye screening in people with diabetes without signs of retinal disease is effective and does not lead to any undue delay in treatment, Icelandic researchers report in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. Retinal disease, or retinopathy, is a condition that arises when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It can lead to blindness. Diabetic blindness is one of the most common causes of blindness in the world. Dr Einar Stefansson, investigator of the study said: "Diabetic blindness is largely preventable through a public health approach with screening and preventive laser treatment." Based on the current study, he and colleagues conclude that "biennial screening examinations suffice in both type 1 and type 2 patients with diabetes without retinopathy, and more extended screening intervals may even be feasible." Source: British Journal of Ophthalmology
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