Screening compliance and visual outcome in diabetes

• Published in: Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica
• Main Authors: Zoega, GM, Gunnarsdottir, T, Bjornsdottir, S, Hreidarsson, AB, Viggosson, G, Stefansson, E
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Munksgaard 2007
• Subjects: Blindness; Diabetic Retinopathy; Iceland/epidemiology; Patient Compliance; Retrospective Studies; Vision Screening; Vision; Low; Visual Acuity; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/13444; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0420.2005.00541.x

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field PURPOSE: To study the relationship between screening compliance and visual outcome in a screening programme for diabetic eye disease. METHODS: A retrospective case control study. The screening compliance of all the diabetes patients (n = 22) listed at the Icelandic National Registry for the Blind (visual acuity <0.3) was compared to a matched group of 44 non-blind diabetes patients (visual acuity > or =0.3) who participated in the same screening programme for diabetic retinopathy. Glycaemic control (HbA1c), office blood pressure and cholesterol levels were assessed. RESULTS: The study group had a significantly lower level of compliance with the screening programme (27% +/- 38% [mean +/- SD] versus 77% +/- 26% [mean +/- SD]; p < 0.0001). Macular oedema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy was found in 60% (13/22) of the study group when entering the screening programme, compared to 7% (3/44) in the control group. Blood pressure (except diastolic BP among type 1 diabetes mellitus), blood glucose and cholesterol levels were identical. The prevalence of blindness and low vision amongst diabetes patients in Iceland is about 0.5%. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant relationship between screening compliance and visual outcome in diabetes patients in our screening programme.